It all started with a burned hand
by mroczna88
Summary: Kouki was scared of many, many things but it's Akashi he fears the most. So, of course, one of these days he just had to bump into him, right? Story about one scaredy cat and one boy who despite being excellent in everything is quite lonely. Smutty, light AkaFuri romance with little drama. Going to tag as MidoTaka as well, but it's mostly AkaFuri.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _It's a story that was written for the amazing saru-pulver as a thank you gift for her absolutely selfless act of making me a fanart of my crack ship just because. Of course it was meant to be one-shot but, being me, I got carried away. Hence it ended up this long and very mature-rating, after all one smut scene is not enough when you have to deal with Akashi. And damn, do I suck with writing a summary =.=_

_English is not my first language but thanks to rumovercoke and her proofreading it actually sounds good!_

_The story is completed, but I'm not going to post all of it at once, so prepare yourself for an update once per three or four days._

**Fandom:**_ Kuroko no Basuke_

**Pairings: **_Akashi/Furihata, MidoTaka and implied Ootsutani (my beloved crack ship!)_

**Rating:**_ M (no, seriously, it's not an M because of kissing – it's very smutty)_

**Words: 60 526 (yeah, it was meant to be one-shot)**

**Summary:**_ Kouki was scared of many, many things but it's Akashi he fears the most. So of course one of these days he just had to bump into him, right? Story about once scaredy cat and one boy who despite being excellent in everything is quite lonely. AkaFuri with MidoTaka and Ootsutani moments._

_Let's get started, shall we? ^.^_

* * *

If there was a thing that you couldn't say about Kouki it was that he was brave. Sure, he was nice, friendly, and funny, but, not-so-deep-down-at-the-heart, he was a coward. He wouldn't talk back to anyone in fear of their vendetta (you never know just how many psychos are out there and how sensitive they're), he wouldn't walk into any dark room, and even felt a little creeped out in bright, but too silent rooms. Hell, sometimes he had anxiety attacks before going to sleep—be it worrying over ghosts or burglars or the incoming exams, he always found something to be scared of.

Lately, his nightmares were haunted by the red and yellow eyes that followed him everywhere, waiting for him to turn his back to them. And then there was this voice... so calm, so nice to hear and even more fearsome because of the things that were spoken in that creepily, well-intentioned tone.

Yes, Rakuzan's captain was making Kouki scared shitless.

"I don't know why you're so stressed over the fact that you met that psycho kid once," mumbled Kagami one day, while stuffing his cheeks with some insanely long bread. "If everything goes right you won't have to see him 'till Winter Cup when we'll kick his ass once again."

Kouki twitched and at the same time felt both relieved and disappointed. He wouldn't admit it to anyone but lately he was taking care of his fears by fighting them head on—like purposely going to the toilet without turning on every light on the way there. Once he talked back to Hyuuga-senpai (who seemed genuinely surprised and didn't have the time to get angry, thank gods for that). A few times, he'd left the window open at the night, telling himself that living on the first floor was kind of safe (don't think of ninjas and ropes, nope, no Spiderman-like scenarios). So when he was listing all of his main fears, somehow Akashi was on the top of that list—to tell the truth, Kouki was so scared of him that he couldn't get the guy out of his mind. Every redhead on the street was him, just as any boy who had a nice and elegant voice.

When he first saw Akashi—seconds before he started to be afraid—he thought that Teikou's ex-captain was actually pretty normal… Not overly tall, with a calm and beautiful face, kinda cute even. But then… well, scissors and all.

"Akashi-kun is able to make such an impression, Furihata-kun, but he's not very dangerous, at least not after he lost for the first time in his life. Even if he won in the summer play-offs." Kuroko smiled at him a little and then added: "But I suppose he won't forget about both Kagami-kun and you, since you interrupted his meeting with others. Knowing him, he sees that as some sort of rebellion."

Sweat appeared on the brown-haired boy's temples and he had to resist the urge to squeal.

"Hey! I just came to say hi!" shouted Kagami.

"A-a-and I just was... standing there. Not doing much, right? And that was over a year and half ago!"

Kuroko shrugged.

"I don't know, but he doesn't like when people are where he doesn't want them to be."

Oh, great. Kouki was already half-dead with fear when Kuroko added, in a light tone, that because Akashi's father was a yakuza boss, he was accustomed to his orders being taken seriously but didn't mind small fries so much.

It was a miracle that Furihata didn't faint at this point.

* * *

As for Akashi, he was fuming with boredom and anger. Not a good combination if you asked anyone who knew him even slightly. Granted, his attitude changed slightly after the defeat at the last year's Winter Cup, but he was still pretty scary and that day, the Rakuzan team decided to sweat with blood but give it all they had. Even Kotarou shut up and was running around the gym with everyone, trying to not look too eager. Their Sei-chan was a good captain and basically a nice guy, but when he was in this state they all knew it was better to not stand out.

He was bored because there was no way for him to train even a little more today; he had already overused his muscles a little and he wasn't going to ruin his health for few more laps. And he was angry at Shintarou—or more precisely, at that half-witted weakling, Takao. How dare he?! Remembering it again made him forget about boredom, but enhanced his anger and something else, something that he wasn't going to acknowledge. He touched his cheek once again and decided to go to Tokyo and give that little bastard a good lecture. And maybe a few threats, but he supposed that Takao was immune to this considering he was so close to Shintarou.

Seeing his furrowed brow and slight twitching of his hands caused the rest of the team to practice even harder—no one wanted to be kicked out just because they got on Akashi's bad side while he was in a bad mood, but he wasn't paying them any attention. He packed and marched out of the school, ignoring everything and everyone and deciding to not go by car since that would be too flashy and trains weren't uncomfortably crowded at this hour. If he timed it right, he would catch Takao after Shutoku's practice. If anything, their coach was known for being absolutely anal about the time—practice started at this and this hour and ended at this and this to the last second. Seijuuro had to admit he'd been quite amazed when he learned about that. Being strict on-court and off-court was the only way to completely stop any nonsense initiatives from players that could ruin the whole grand plan.

One day, he mused while taking a seat far away from giggling girls that were looking at him, he was going to ask Shutoku's coach for a game of shogi—he knew that the man was quite the tactician, he could tell it from the one look they shared right before the game started. He could always recognize a good shogi player when he saw one and Shutoku's tactics in that game were definitely not Shintarou's doing—he was more about striking from a distance and, truthfully, was sometimes so predictable it was boring.

Something he couldn't tell about that cheeky boyfriend of his.

To learn that Midorima—who was always doing the "proper" thing—following his parents' dreams and being a book example of "not exciting"—had a lover was surprising. That it was a male lover was shocking, he had to admit. Certainly he didn't see that one coming. He had even been pretty sure that Shintarou was asexual and would end up with some proper trophy wife that his parents would have already chosen for him. Briefly, Akashi wondered just how many people knew about them and if he should threaten Takao with exposure, but decided to let it go. He had a soft spot for his ex-teammates and didn't want Shintarou's parents to go to the extreme. And he was more than curious about how much that little bastard could change Midorima if he already was able to coerce him into kissing and quite passionate groping in a place where they could be seen. And they were, of course. The blush on Shintarou's face was quite amusing, but not as much as his stuttering. On the other hand, that Takao...

Seijuuro gritted his teeth once again and smiled sinisterly when he realized just what he'd tell that little shit. Oh, yes. That idiot definitely wouldn't like it. Not noticing that everyone around him suddenly decided to change seats, he basked in his own glory and thoughtfulness.

This was going to be good.

* * *

It was a good thing that Kouki didn't look into the mirror while walking home. Seeing a zombie would freak him out. With his hollowed face and paled skin, he could pass for a Homestuck cosplayer that suddenly decided to jump into a high school uniform. But he didn't care. The only thing that haunted his thoughts for hours was one word.

Yakuza.

Furihata knew he was a person that didn't have much meaning—even while playing, every good thing he did was accidental and he wasn't fooling himself into thinking that someone like... like a y-y-yakuza boss' son (ohmygodohmygodohmygod) would even remember him while there were people like Kagami and Kuroko around. But… there was still a chance and that panicking part of him was sending him darker and darker scenarios. Maybe Akashi didn't like the way he looked and how he dared show himself without even so much as combing his hair? Or maybe he was annoyed by Furihata's cowardice? Or maybe he'd actually said something he couldn't remember because he was so scared?

He didn't even quite catch the moment he got to the train and he almost missed his stop. And at that moment he decided it was stupid. He was working himself up over something that would probably never happen. Why would someone like Akashi remember someone like him? Especially after such a long time—there was just no option. The thought was a little depressing, but at the same time he was relieved. With a newfound energy he whirled around—deciding he would stop by library and take some book about paranoid thoughts and how to control them—and immediately crashed into someone. They both fell and while Furihata was laying on his back, thinking about just how screwed his life was, the other person already got up and hissed.

"I'm so sorry!" he started and then he looked at himself and saw that there was coffee on this other person. Steaming hot coffee. "Oh god, I hope you're okay! Did I burn you? I didn't watch where I was going and... so sorry! If you need clothes to change I live nearby and... Maybe we need to go to the hospital?" he added, completely horrified.

The person in front of him was still bent over, picking something up from the floor, showing him his back—a quite nice back, from his perspective, a round ass in nicely fitted pants, long and slender legs... When that thought passed his brain Kouki blushed and shook his head. It wasn't nice to ogle a girl like that when he bumped into her. But then the girl stood to her full height and first, he saw shoulders too broad for a girl and then he noticed that this boy was wearing a white, sports blouse. Feeling guilty—coffee on this kind of material would never come off—he opened his mouth once again but suddenly he realized that on the blouse, written in blue letters, was "RAKUZAN". The boy had short, magenta hair and when he looked down at Kouki, with heterochromatic eyes that were full of fury, Furihata knew his life was going to end.

If in some way Akashi didn't remember him from before, like hell he was going to forget him now.

* * *

**A/N:** _Reviews will be greatly appreciated! It's just a beggining, so it doesn't sound exciting at first, but fear not! Next chapter will contain naked chests!_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **_I... I'm seriously impressed by all those comments! I was sure I would get close to none xD Thank you so, so much!_

_This chapter is much longer than the first one and I hope you'll enjoy it just the same._

* * *

Panic striking in, Furihata stumbled back, still on his ass, and when the other boy moved his hand—probably to preparing to strike a blow—Kouki saw something that made him immediately forget his fear.

"Your hand!" he shouted and got on his feet fast, grasping Akashi's right hand with worry. The skin was red and he even saw a blister. "Oh gods, you... It's burned! The basketball... and... oh gods..."

"And whose fault is this?" That voice was gentle and almost soothing but if Kouki was in his right mind he would decide to throw himself under the train in an attempt to make his death less painful. But he had a serious, serious problem—he couldn't stop himself when someone needed a help.

"Come," he said. Holding the slightly shocked Rakuzan captain by the elbow, he pulled them to the toilet, started cold water, and without a word stuck his burnt flesh under it. "Don't move," he mumbled, ignoring that he just ordered Akashi to not do something, and opened his pack. In no time, he found a first aid kit and took a bandage and burn salve from it. Now he was on a mission.

* * *

That kid was pretty strange, if you asked Seijuuro. He couldn't remember the last time someone dragged him like that and ordered him around. But the strangest thing about all of this was that he actually didn't put up a fight. Sure, his hand hurt and he was going to give that boy—whose face was somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember from where—hell for making him take a few days off from his training sessions, but somehow he felt like saying even a single word would make the boy will run for his life. And since his plans for revenge were ruined (no one would take threats from a coffee-stained person seriously and Takao wasn't the serious type to begin with), he could have his share of fun here.

Looking closely at the boy who was now bandaging his burned flesh, Akashi suddenly realized where he knew him from.

"You're from Seirin," he stated and seeing the other cringe, he knew he was right.

"Ah... yes, yeah. Furihata Kouki, nice to meet you," he half-stuttered, half-mumbled. "Like I said, I'm very sorry for the hand. I'll take full responsibility, of course!"

"I need fresh clothes. And since my coffee was spilled, I need new one."

There was a demand in his tone—if anything Seijuuro knew how to use it from hearing his father over the years. Besides, everything was that Furihata's fault so it's not like he was doing him a favor. Right now, the idiot was blushing and looking for something in his backpack.

"Y-y-yes, of course... Like I said, I live nearby and I can even make dinner... but you probably are used to having better food and I'm not a very good cook—but I have coffee and can make a good one and here's a fresh shirt, a little wrinkled, but I haven't worn this, not even once, I always have a spare one, ah but this one probably won't fit you, you're a little too pretty for normal things like a yellow t-shirt, haha, I left the better one at home, but that wouldn't look good either—not that you don't look good, no! Just... Oh, I can make rice with miso, the cheap one, I'm sorry, but I don't have money to buy you something to eat as an apology, but you probably don't want..."

He was positively rambling, even more when Seijuuro started taking off his blouse.

* * *

He was going to die. Akashi was taking off his clothes so they wouldn't get further stained with his blood. Every yakuza did this (at least those he saw in movies). Briefly, he wondered if his parents would even get a note about his death (they were living in a so out-of-the-world village that his acceptance letter came two months after it was sent and he almost didn't make it for the entrance ceremony), but decided it wouldn't bother him then.

Aaah, but he wanted to play basketball more, make more friends, live a little longer, find a nice and calm job, get close with someone special and have a small house with, maybe, a few kids and... And all of this would end now because he was such a clumsy idiot.

He was so scared that he was talking, talking, and talking, not realizing what he was saying but with every word, Akashi's brow was getting higher and higher, and when he finally decided to shut up the other man actually looked quite amused.

"Now that's a compliment," he said in (to Kouki's ears) a deadly tone. Furihata frantically tried to remember just what exactly he'd said, but there was a blank space in his head.

"I... I'm sorry?"

Every psycho preparing to kill someone gets even worse when they start smiling. And Akashi had a truly creepy smile that didn't look right on that pretty face.

"Well? What're you waiting for?" Demanded the magenta-haired boy and he looked at Kouki with patience.

"Huh?"

Yes, eloquent. Very. If only the Earth was nice enough to open up and swallow him right here and now...

"You said you'll give me fresh clothes and make a dinner as an apology."

"O-o-of course! Yes! Please, co... um... would you please follow me? Or maybe you want to go first?"

"I have no idea where." At this point Akashi seemed very amused and... and Kouki felt that he was the mouse being played with by a cat. "So, yes, I'll follow you."

The road to home had never felt so long.

* * *

He was barely holding back a chuckle. The boy walking in front of him was so scared he tripped quite a few times and even forgot where he should go. He was more focused on peeking around his shoulder (something that just can't be done subtly) and got either white or red in the face every time he met Seijuuro's eyes. For a moment, he wondered if he should clear the obvious misunderstanding the boy had created for himself, but decided it would spoil the fun. This way, no matter what he would do or would like to do, Furihata would be too scared to oppose him. For a moment, he remembered the faces of his ex-teammates and how... wrong he felt when they were doing something he ordered just because they were afraid, but immediately forgot about it when suddenly he realized where exactly he met Furihata.

"You were at the Winter Cup with Tetsuya."

The man in front of him jumped, clearly startled, but nodded.

"Ah, yes. Coach said I should go with him. I'm sorry I interrupted, it wasn't my intention. And then Kagami-kun came and that somehow... uh, ah... ended... um... not good, I suppose?"

"Actually I'm quite fond of that memory" said Seijuuro lightly, getting closer to Furihata. Now they were walking arm to arm, not like before when he was few steps back. Their arms were brushing from time to time and Seijuuro found that friction very pleasant, so he didn't step a little to the side, ignoring all attempts of apologizing from Furihata, who—if he wanted to avoid it—would have to walk into the wall. "Kagami was a nice challenge from the start. Obnoxious, annoying, and vulgar, but a challenge nonetheless." He saw tension in the boy's jaw. Ah, so he disliked his friends being insulted. "And he failed that day and I won."

"Well, but in the end he... uh, that is... oh, look, here we are! This is where I live!"

He was so relieved that Seijuuro almost let himself smile genuinely. Especially since he saw the exact moment when Furihata realized there would be only two of them in a small, closed place.

"This is quite small," he commented, while looking at the old building with paint coming off the wall and holes in the elevation. There was something unique in how old it was and the grass, flowers, and trees around it had been cared for very well, making this building look mysteriously charming. "But I like it. You have a gardener here?"

"Ah, no. My landlord was a gardener, though, before his aunt left him this building and he retired. Rent is not high and occasionally all of us eat with dinner with him, so I quite like it here."

They were walking upstairs and Akashi sniffed, since he smelled something sweet.

"What's that smell?"

Furihata smiled and looked like he forgot all about fear, which was a nice change—at least something coherent was coming out of his mouth.

"That's Sumire-san. She's in culinary school, she loves making cakes and pastries. Actually I have some leftovers from an unusually good apple pie if you..." Then he paled and started stuttering again. "I mean, sorry, I won't give you leftovers—that sounds really bad. Sorry. Forget I said it, okay? Please? I didn't mean to!"

Seijuuro smiled gently, trying to make the boy once again feel at ease, at least a little.

"It's alright. I would like to taste it. Who else lives here?"

Somehow he really liked the way Furihata was getting excited while describing things and looking at Seijuuro like he was a completely normal person. It made him feel like he was in middle school. No... Not like then. It was something different, but he couldn't quite tell why.

* * *

Thanking gods that he had something to babble about, Kouki happily pointed to the door on the left.

"Ah, uh, Sumire-san is downstairs here, since that unit has the biggest kitchen, and the door on the right belongs to Ayumi-san. She was a teacher once and sometimes she gives us a helping hand with our schoolwork. She retired a few years ago and my landlord, Joumei-san, was a childhood friends of her. He lives down this corridor. On the first floor, there is my room and I'm door to door with Oomegari-kun, he's older than me by one year and goes to Kimiru High School. There is also Shimeno-kun..." He smiled goofily and blushed, but when he caught Akashi's not amused stare, he became stiff again. "Ah, she's our age, goes to all-girls Academy somewhere around here. I never get to talk to her much..." Not that he didn't want to. She was very, very pretty and a little shy, but he was sure that she had a little crush on Oomegari-kun, so he didn't butt in. "Second floor belongs entirely to Kudoh-san and Fukamachi-san. Kudoh-san is a writer, but he won't tell us his pen name, saying that a few of us have read his books and he's much happier hearing our sincere opinions rather than fake ones because we don't want to hurt his feelings. Fukamachi-san is a mechanic and he's so... so cool!" He knew that there was a strange blush on his face right now, but he couldn't help it. "He rides a bike, a very cool bike, and sometimes I watch when he repairs it. He built the whole thing by himself from some old parts! Isn't that awesome?! "

"I suppose it is. It takes a great amount of talent to do something like that."

Akashi didn't look impressed, but his words were enough to make Kouki feel great.

"It does, right? He's my inspiration, every time I feel down or unmotivated I think about all the things he had to do and..."

"And what were those things?"

They were standing right in front of Kouki's doors and he was opening them, his panic not returning for even a moment. He felt really at ease. Akashi was a good listener and he could only hope that he wasn't annoying him. Maybe the more he talked, the later the beating would come.

"He told us his story once. Fukamachi-san is from a very poor family, his father was an alcoholic and beat him for a very long time. Here, let me take your blouse, I'll wash it. Then he joined a gang, I'm not sure what kind, but he said it was a very dark part of his life and he doesn't want to remember it. I'll start making the dinner, do you want the tea? He took part-time jobs and one day he started helping some mechanic and he felt really good repairing things and not breaking them. So he tried to leave the gang, but was beaten so badly that he was in the hospital for over a six months. Ah, I'll clean it up, so you can sit down. There he met Kudoh-san, who was searching for some information on his upcoming book, and..." He stopped to wonder if he could tell this part and glanced at the other boy, who was looking at him almost without blinking. Which made him flustered. Akashi's eyes were really pretty, but also very creepy. Which was probably a bad thing to say, considering he didn't choose to have two different colors of eyes. "I... uh... Akashi-san, if I can ask... are you against same-sex couples?"

Slightly widened eyes told him the question was shocking. Well, he himself never actually thought he'd be asking him this question.

"I don't have anything against them, no." He smiled, but it was... kind of sinister smile, which made Kouki shiver. "I even know two guys who're a couple, at least for now."

"O-oh..." He didn't want to know more. He knew that people who know too much are killed off first. "Uh, so... you see, Kudoh-san and Fukamachi-san are together, like, a couple. And when they met at hospital Fukamachi-san said it was like love at first sight and decided to pursue Kudoh-san. But before he started, he left the gang completely and started working. Only when he was settled he found Kudoh-san. Isn't it romantic?" he smiled, wondering if he, someday, would find someone special, who would shake his world and turn it upside down. He wouldn't mind some cute, shy girl to motivate him like that. His whole love life was laughable, to be honest. "And now he has his own workplace and is the boss, but still likes to tinker in the garage. Sometimes I watch him do that, it's really cool."

"Don't you want to help him or do you only watch?"

Kouki smiled with embarrassment and rubbed his neck.

"I'm... well, kind of sloppy with things like that. I tried a few times, but messed everything up in the end. Fukamachi-san wasn't mad with me, he almost doubled over with laughter, but I felt bad."

"Hmmm..."

"But I'm good at helping in the garden! Yesterday..."

Trying to be as natural as possible Kouki started making dinner, feeling like a complete idiot every time something smashed on the ground—which was pretty often. All the time he felt Akashi's eyes following him and he was pretty sure he was judged. Probably for some test he would fail.

* * *

Furihata was cute.

That thought somehow placed itself inside Seijuuro's head and he couldn't get it out of there, even though he tried. There was no reason behind that statement. The boy was as much of a tragedy in the kitchen as Shintarou, but when he remembered Midorima's way of "cooking" he could only think just that—a tragedy. Not even "sloppy". He only hoped the food will be edible—something he couldn't say about his former teammate's dishes. Furihata's non-stopping babbling wasn't different from the way Ryota was usually, but this time, no matter what he couldn't label it as "absolutely annoying". Which was confusing. He just... liked looking at Furihata panicking and cooking. Seijuuro enjoyed listening to his stories, which were not very interesting, but the way he talked was full of life, excitement. And he was getting more and more irritated every time the boy complimented that mechanic or had that dreamy look on his face while mentioning the girl who lived on the same floor.

Seijuuro knew himself pretty well, if he may say so. One had to know his own limits to be able to succeed. And he knew that what he was feeling now was jealousy and something akin to affection. Like a master looking at his favorite pet and thinking someone else was playing with it. A very sloppy, loud and messy pet, but one that brought him joy. No other thought came to his mind, so this had to be it.

"Would you like a fork and knife or..."

"A fork would be nice, thank you."

"Oh, I thought you were the more traditional type..." Furihata blushed and started looking for a knife, mumbling something about not too sharp.

"Outside of my house, I prefer the Western way of eating." Actually, he had a small soft spot for unhealthy food, but his father and teachers would go hysteric if they ever knew, so he rarely had the opportunity to try it. Which probably still wasn't good for his body, being fed only with higher-class meat and fresh vegetables.

"I... uh... It's probably not that good..." When the plate was placed before Seijuuro, he had a chance to look at the boy from close.

"You..."

Jumping up, obviously startled, Furihata almost dropped his plate.

"Y-y-yes?"

"You're really plain."

Mousy hair with long bang, eyes that were big but somehow completely normal... Nothing extraordinaire. But that was only half true. The way that bang was falling over his eyes was almost erotic in its innocence. And those eyes... They were showing each and every thought that came through Furihata's mind and he couldn't stop looking at him, somehow wanting to catch each and every emotion.

"Ah, haha, yeah, I suppose. All the girls tell me that." That smile was fake and Seijuuro almost scowled. It wasn't meant as an insult. "I take after my dad, he's nothing much. But my mom is a true beauty! My sister takes after her. I suppose better she than me. I... I suppose your mum is some kind of model or actress?"

He blinked. And blinked once again. If that boy was anything but an idiot, Seijuuro would be sure he was flirting with him, considering how many times in a span of two hours Furihata had told him he was beautiful. Which he was, of course, but that wasn't something he himself did, so he didn't brag about it—he wasn't Ryota, for goodness sake.

"I don't know." He said truthfully, reaching for a fork, trying to sound casual. "I was told she was beautiful, but that's all I know. Certainly I took after her, my father is rather ordinary."

* * *

Now that's what you call faux pas. Kouki wanted nothing more than bang his head on the table and wait for the oncoming blow.

"I'm sorry" he groaned out. Akashi looked at him with mild interest, so he explained. "About your mum, I didn't know she's..."

"Dead?" When he nodded, the other boy snorted. Quite rudely, at that. "She's alive and probably well off after giving birth to me. She was chosen for her looks, brain, healthy body, and manners, and she left right after I was born."

For a moment, Kouki was speechless. How... Why... He shook his head. This wasn't his world, he didn't know how it worked, but it sounded rather nasty. Suddenly, he made a decision to go home for a weekend, see his parents, who would probably smile and hug him, and then make him work in the shop, like always.

"Then I'm even more sorry," he mumbled and dug into his food, trying not to blush too much when Akashi stared at him, probably with disgust. He knew that his manners were not anywhere near high-class ones. Even so, probably still better than, say, Kagami's.

For a moment there was only silence, one that was making him nervous. With each rustle of clothes, a deeper sigh or just movement of the hand holding the fork, Kouki felt he was getting more and more tense. Somehow he couldn't shake off the feeling that he had said something wrong, did something wrong. Or maybe the food was ugly? He wasn't an exceptional cook, just... normal. Normal, like everything about him—he thought a little bitterly. He nervously glanced at Akashi, but didn't see much, since he averted his gaze almost immediately in fear of being caught. But he did it again and again and again, each time noticing small details. The guy sitting next to him was anything but normal and somehow that thought hurt him a little, although he didn't know why.

At first he realized that Akashi had really neat fingers—perfectly manicured and cut. Then he saw how short those fingers were, which wasn't strange for a human being, but strange for a basketball player. (He vaguely remembered his shock when he first saw Midorima close-up—his fingers where longer than any he'd ever seen.) When he let himself look higher, he felt embarrassed. His plain, washed out t-shirt didn't look good on Akashi. And the color of it made him look almost sick. It was just... wrong. No matter how scared he was of the other boy, even in his nightmares, Akashi was strikingly beautiful, always clothed in something that made his unusual eyes shine and his hair look even softer. Sometimes he felt like he should stare and move forward, not just run away with horror. Which was stupid, of course. Something shifted inside of his stomach and his brow was immediately wet with cold sweat when Akashi squirmed in his seat before going back to eating. He almost sighed with relief. Then he glanced once again, this time taking the risk and looking at Akashi's face.

Kouki's hand stilled mid-air, his eyes wide and lips parted with shock. Akashi's lids were closed, his cheeks strangely stuffed, mouth closed and smiling slightly, his face flushed. He looked like he was in heaven.

* * *

Seijuuro_ was_ in heaven. He couldn't remember last time he'd eaten something so good, so salty and bitter at the same time. It was probably a coincidence, but Furihata cooked something that appealed to his tastes probably more than it should. He tried, very hard, not to act like Atsushi, but... it was so good and when he realized that back home he would have to eat mildly-cooked beef with lots of garlic and herbs with a side of very healthy and very salt-free salad... No, this was better. Much, much better and it's not like he would lose his fitness if he ate more.

He opened his eyes and looked at Furihata to ask him about tea but found the boy staring at him incredulously, without even a trace of fright, smiling brilliantly. He swallowed what he was just eating and cleared his throat.

"You're staring." When his companion cringed and once again fear creeped into his eyes, Akashi felt... wrong. He liked the way Furihata had just looked at him, it was pleasant. "Do you have any tea?"

Furihata nodded and turned slightly. Before he could stand, Seijuuro's hand shot out and grabbed him by the jaw. The boy whimpered in fear, closing his eyes.

"I was wrong."

"I... I'm... sorry?"

"You're not plain, you have a nice profile," he said, wondering why it was he was actually doing this. Yes, teasing the boy was funny, but he usually didn't compliment people to make fun of them. And this time he wasn't even making fun of Furihata. He just wanted him to feel better about himself and that was something new and worth exploring if it was going to be his weakness. His fingers slid from his jaw to his ear, caressing the bone under soft, very soft skin. "You have a strong jaw, a long face, very masculine. If you would stop looking like a strangled squirrel..." He stopped, not sure what he wanted to say, but even if he thought that Furihata was cute, he couldn't say it out loud. Especially not after saying he was quite masculine. This would be just... wrong. "You would look better."

"Uh... um... thank you."

Was he blushing?

"Why are you blushing?"

Furihata immediately started panicking and looked away from him while getting up finally to make the tea, almost running away from Seijuuro's touch.

"I'm not! It's just... I... er, I was never... no one's ever said something like that about me. Yeah, that's it!" He looked almost relieved that he found a good reason. Seijuuro started eating again, only half-heartedly listening to the babbling boy. Ah, this rice was really nicely salted... Oh god, he was starting to sound like Atsushi in his own head.

"You probably hear it often, but I'm not used to this. I'm just... too normal, I guess. Average height, average looks, average brain, average skills at basketball..."

"I would say less than average" Seijuuro said calmly and when Furihata looked at him with hurt, he only shrugged. Well, he wanted to be honest, that's all. "Why did you even start playing basketball with such abysmal talent?"

"I won't say, since you'll ridicule me more," mumbled the boy and when Seijuuro looked at him sharply, he sucked in air and looked horrified. Clearly, he hadn't meant to say it out loud. Furihata took a step back and covered his mouth, so his words came out muffled. "I... so sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't..."

"To clear the misunderstanding—I did not say that to ridicule you, it was the truth. Plain and simple as that." Furihata looked like he wanted to say something, maybe even argue, but then looked at him, shivered visibly and with horror in his eyes looked at his feet. It was getting tiresome. With reluctance he put the fork down and stood up. "Thank you for dinner."

* * *

This was it. This was the moment Kouki was going to die. Why didn't he just shut up? Even with the threat looming over him he found it wasn't that hard to be around Akashi, he even hoped he could get away without the beating, but now everything was lost just because he decided to not answer one stupid question.

But the true panic struck when, with a few measured steps, Akashi closed in on Kouki.

"Pie!" he screamed with high-pitched voice, trying very hard not to back away even more—because then he would splatter himself on the wall. "Y-y-you wanted to taste the apple pie! I still have it!"

"No, thank you. I lost my appetite."

The hand with quite normal fingers moved towards him and this was the end to Kouki's pride. He fell to his knees and cowered his head.

"Please, don't! I really didn't meant to offend you, burn your hand, or stare at you! I really didn't mean to! If I'd known it was you, I really would have tried to avoid bumping into you and I'll answer everything you want to know just please, don't kill me!" He was positive he was sobbing at this point but couldn't care less. "I won't do it again! Ever! And I'm sorry I mistook you for a girl at first and stared at your ass! I didn't know! Please, don't..."

"Why would you think I'm going to kill you?"

"Huh? But Kuroko said..."

Kouki looked up—afraid to see the crazy look in Akashi's eyes that haunted his nightmares—but found the other boy smiling and soon he was covering his mouth and... chuckling?

"Don't tell me he said to you that I'm the son of yakuza boss."

"Well, yeah, he did—and there's nothing wrong with that! Really!"

Akashi went from chuckling to giggling and actually sat on the floor, still covering his mouth.

"Nothing wrong with that? I believe there are many wrong things in being a yakuza, but the worst thing is that you fell for Tetsuya's joke." Seeing Kouki's blank look he stopped laughing and composed himself a bit. "It was a running joke in our middle school and Tetsuya's straight face always makes it hard to realize when he was joking, so it's alright. I'm not from a yakuza family, my father is CEO of big corporation, but that's all. There are probably some fishy things going on but no more than in other companies. I was actually trying to say goodbye and ask you to lend me a shirt, since mine is stained with coffee and I look ridiculous in this one."

He was so relieved he almost sobbed again, but then decided it was already too much and wiped his face with a towel.

"I'm sorry, that was silly of me, probably... I never thought... okay, I did." He squeezed his eyes, to make himself stop rambling and stick to the point. "Yes, clothes... Uh... What color shirt do you want?"

Akashi was looking at him with something akin to interest and then pointed his finger at Kouki.

"Actually I like this one. Can I have it?"

He blinked. And blinked once again.

"Er... I... Akashi-san, this one is..." It's not like it was his favorite, he actually didn't like it, but... "It's wet. I sweat a lot in the last two hours and it smells like food..."

The other guy smiled and Kouki suddenly found himself lifting the shirt. Boys shouldn't smile like that, it should be reserved for girls. Flirtatious types of girls. On boys, this smile should look stupid, not... nice. His mind spun a little when he realized monochrome eyes were intently watching him strip, following his every movement, fixated on his abdomen, which was both uncomfortable and worrying. He wasn't chubby or anything, but his stomach was definitely nowhere near Kagami's. Or even Hyuuga's. And he was stripping. In front of another man. He shouldn't be this nervous and Akashi shouldn't look at him with such... a predatory gleam in his eyes. Why was he even thinking about it? It was just a shirt...

"Are you going to take it off or what?"

Akashi's low voice made him shiver and he realized he stopped moving his arms, so with one bold movement he took it off, feeling rather... naked. Red and gold eyes roamed over his exposed flesh but it was nothing like coach's look. He felt like he was observed and graded, but not in the same way.

"You're rather weak."

He sighed and scratched his head.

"Yeah, I guess so. I work out at the gym often, but somehow my muscles won't develop. Oh, if you want to change, the bathroom is this..."

No sound left his mouth when Akashi took off his own shirt. Idiotically yellow shirt, now that he realized how good Akashi looked without it. His body was scrawny and small, just like his own—no, maybe a little bigger—but it looked entirely different. Akashi's skin was pale—so pale he could see many veins on his arms and upper chest. But the thing that he couldn't tear his eyes off were muscles. Nicely sculpted, almost looking like the skin was hugging them without stretching... Visible, but only slightly. Strong body, but at the same time so... vulnerable, sensual. AND JUST WHAT HE WAS THINKING?!

Kouki's face suddenly got beet red and he stood up, wobbling slightly and marched to his bedroom to fetch a fresh shirt.

"This is strange, so strange..." he was muttering, once again panicking, but in a way that was completely alien to him. Or rather—completely normal when it came to girls, but not boys. When he got back Akashi was already at the door, tying his shoes. "I can walk you back if..."

"I'll manage." He stood up and smiled slightly. "Thank you for dinner and for the shirt."

When he turned around and touched the doorknob Kouki's hand shot forward and grasped Akashi's shirt without him even realizing he wanted to do something like that. And his mouth opened by themselves.

"The girl that I was in love with said she would date me when I show her that I'm good at something!" he spilled out, almost embarrassed by this. Especially by the second part of the confession. "She said I'm too plain. In the end, I found out that playing basketball is fun, even if I'm not great at it and that girl started going out with a guy from her school. He's a great soccer player, apparently. But I'm still playing. My reason to join was stupid but I really like it."

He wasn't brave enough to look at Akashi. Heck, someone like him—good at nothing, average to the point of stupidity—was confessing things like that to the true basketball genius, who probably wouldn't even bother with...

His thoughts were cut off by warm fingers touching his chin and moving it upwards. And before he even uttered a sound he saw those creepily beautiful—or beautifully creepy, he couldn't decide—eyes up close. Very, very close. It made his stomach wrap in knots, his breath hitched, and he couldn't move even a muscle. Akashi leaned in and suddenly Kouki felt his breath on his own lips. He was feeling dizzy and warm, his heart was beating furiously inside his ribcage, and he was so confused that he didn't even move a muscle when he felt Akashi's lips brushing over his, when a nose grazed his own, and when fingers that were holding his chin slid to his neck and caressed his skin. He responded to the kiss when that pressure moved a little, brushing over his lips and then pleasure, like a sharp knife, pierced his stomach. Pleasure and surprise.

"Goodbye," Akashi whispered right into his lips and then Kouki was left alone.

* * *

**A/N:** _Mwahahaha, this early in the story and we have both kisses and naked chests!_ _I hope you liked this! More goodness is coming our way, so don't stop reading! And writing reviews, of course ^.^_

_And, damn, I forgot to add KagaKuro in pairings that are mentioned! I'm ashamed ;A;_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **_Well, I wanted to post it tomorrow, but both leona-dracontis and me can't stand the wait for the next episode (KUROBAS 2 IS BAAAAAAAAAAAACK AND OMFG I'M SO EXCITED YOU GUY'S WOULDN'T BELIEVE!) so I'm posting it to ease her wait and to actually do something except looking up Kurobas tag xD_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"...hata! FURIHATA!"

Kouki jumped high in the air when someone roared into his ear. He started looking around, feeling quite dazed.

"Hyuuga-senpai? Wh-what is it?"

Why were they staring at him like he did something wrong? Kagami was snickering, Mitobe was looking at him with concern, and Koganei was giving him a thumbs up for some reason. He nervously glanced at coach, but she was looking so happy he decided it was better not to meet her eyes.

"What is it? You ask me?" Hyuuga sighed and scratched his neck. "You were just standing in one place with a dazed look on your face while coach was barking out orders. Not to mention you didn't catch the ball I threw you."

He felt himself blush with mortification.

"I-I-I'm sorry! I just..."

"Are you alright?" whispered Hyuuga, taking him on the side. "Coach is out for your blood because you ruined her perfect new training method, so you better find some incurable illness to die from before she kills you."

He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I just... I... Hyuuga-senpai, can I just..." He wasn't quite sure how to voice out his need without sounding pathetic.

"Hyuuga-senpai, I'll take him out, so he can rest."

They both whimpered in fear when suddenly there was Kuroko between them.

"You should stop doing that! Seriously! Damn... Okay, get Furihata out of here and I'll try to calm down the coach."

It wasn't like Kouki was sick or something. Or at least he supposed so, although he would be much happier if he was sick. When Akashi left, Kouki was standing in the exact same place for over an hour trying to understand just what in the world had happened and if he'd actually snapped and had gone mad and all of it was his imagination.

Although, he supposed, his imagination couldn't be that nice. Not that the kiss was nice—it was strange and uncomfortable. But it could be much worse and all of his previous scenarios mostly ended with bloodshed and not... well, kissing.

"Um... Kuroko..." he started, not being sure if he should ask, but he felt the need to.

"Yes?"

"Did you... ah... how to say it..." His face flushed, wondering if he was right in his suspicions (like everyone else). "Did you ever... you know..."

They walked to the changing room and Kuroko looked at him a little surprised.

"No, I don't know. Is something bothering you?"

Kouki laughed nervously and tousled his hair.

"Yes, no... I don't know, honestly. I was trying to ask, but you don't have to answer if you don't want to! Did you ever... kiss a guy?" he added in a shy voice, not being able to look at the other guy. Which is why his easy answer was a surprise.

"I did. Is that what's bothering you?"

"Yeah! I mean, not you kissing Ka... I mean, a guy..."

Kuroko looked at him and he had a suspicion he was being laughed at.

"I did kiss Kagami-kun, yes. Countless of times."

"And it's... not freaky?"

This time he was sure those tiny lips twitched.

"Actually it's quite pleasurable. And I was kissed by a man before, so I was prepared." Seeing Kouki's incredulous stare, Kuroko shrugged. "Akashi-kun had a habit of kissing whoever was near when he felt like it. All of us suffered through it. I still don't know what it was all about, but it lasted only for a month or so."

There was a tiny pang of pain, but mostly after hearing that Kouki was relieved—both that kissing another guy was normal for Akashi and that he felt that little spark of pleasure right before the kiss ended. Well, he supposed he should stop thinking about it—it's not like he would see Akashi ever again, that was obvious. The dinner maybe tasted good, but he was horrible company, the whole time stuttering and babbling, and making an idiot out of himself. Not to mention the other guy was definitely put off by his behavior to the point of abandoning his food, and getting out as soon as possible.

That was okay with Kouki, he just felt a little sad that he'd left such a bad impression. And he felt even worse when he reminded himself that it's not like he could improve it—he was far, far beyond Akashi's social class, which also meant manners.

"But why would you ask about that?" Kuroko's question almost startled him and he was going to say that he was just wondering because he read something in some paper, but the next line made him stop. "You've been daydreaming since morning. Did some man kiss you and that left you torn because you liked it?"

"OF COURSE NOT!" he screamed in panic, trying to cover the fact that he was kissed. But didn't like it. No, it was too short and too sudden. "I wouldn't like something like that in the first place! And... and... I'm sure it was a joke, that's all! Besides there is that girl that I like and I decided, yeah, I decided that I'll confess to her!"

* * *

His plan of confessing was brave but completely failed. To give Kouki some credit he did as much as get back home and open front door. From then things had gone differently.

"Furihata-kun! Please, do come here!"

He looked to the side and smiled at his landlord. It was rare for him to call any of them during middle of the day. And he supposed that Shimeno is still in school. She usually was back later than him, even considering full basketball practice.

"I'm coming! Is there something wrong?"

He wondered briefly about rent—but he remembered clearly that he paid for this month and next one in advance. Maybe something was wrong?

"No, everything is fine." Joumei-san smiled and didn't realize why Kouki stopped mid-step at the doors. "I'm surprised you didn't let your friend know at which hour you usually come back home. Poor thing was standing in front of your door for almost half an hour before I found him." Then the landlord murmured, "He's very well-mannered. Since when do you have friends like this?"

"I... I..." he sputtered, having no idea what to say. Because it couldn't be, just... couldn't. Joumei-san's old, weary table was looking almost bizarre with Akashi sitting in front of it. And Akashi himself looked bizarre in this room—he just didn't suit here and... it's impossible. "Akashi-san... what..."

"Good evening, Kouki."

* * *

First-name basis certainly shocked both Furihata and his landlord (who had to work at some manor, he definitely knew how to treat upper-class people and could sense one) but he didn't pay any attention to it.

"I didn't know you were coming home this late. Yesterday, you were much earlier."

_Come on_, he thought impatiently_, say something, don't just stand there and stare at me_.

"I..." Nice beginning. "I finished earlier today, usually I'm an hour later. Yesterday's training session was just shorter, which doesn't happen often."

Good. Two sentences without tripping over the words. Seijuuro sipped the ugly brewed tea and tried not to cringe.

"It's good to know. Thank you for the tea, Joumei-san." He stood up and his brow furrowed when Furihata made one step back. It was annoying. "We can go now."

"G-go w-w-w-where?"

"Up to your room, of course." He smiled serenely—for the sake of the confused landlord—but he knew that Furihata would see this as a threat. Good.

"Ah... um... yeah, of course. Come. I mean, please, follow. Or go first. You know the way. Or not. It's rude."

Seijuuro sighed and just moved to the stairs, nodding politely to Joumei-san on his way. He heard some furious whispers between Furihata and his landlord and he was sure "Sumire-san" was said a few times, but he couldn't remember why that name rang a bell. Oh, well. Not important, obviously.

With slight amusement, he looked at the way the man's hand were shaking while opening the door, but decided not to comment.

"Why are you here?" was the first question when they were inside. Not the one he would want to hear, but one he predicted.

"My doctor looked at my hand yesterday. I'm banned from any exercises for two weeks, so I have free evenings. Besides, I need to give you your shirt back."

"Ah, no, it's okay! You didn't have to... and such a long way... uh..."

He was clearly anxious, even more than day before. Akashi wondered briefly if it was because of the kiss. A very nice kiss, if he had something to say about it. Furihata's lips were a little on the thin side, but warm and soft. He wasn't sure why he kissed the boy in the first place—maybe it had something to do with the face he was making while remembering some girl that was stupid enough to dump him or maybe he just wanted Furihata to shut up. And he opted for the second option, because it meant that this was a good way to shut the rambling boy up.

When Furihata was making tea, Seijuuro looked him up and down—thoroughly this time, not in a sports-wise way. Kouki was small—even smaller than himself, which was rare in the basketball world, but he was... pleasant to look at. Nothing special, that was obvious, but his eyes had a nice shape and Seijuuro quite liked the color of the boy's hair and the way it stood up at the ends. But thing he liked the most was Furihata's silhouette—small, lean, and not even an ounce of visible muscles on the stomach. He reminded him of a teddy bear—all soft and nice.

And 'I'm idiotically naive' written all over the face. It'll be fun to play with him a little, he decided.

But he had to play it easy. He didn't want to use force—the sheer thought made him feel ugly—and he supposed it was easy to get Furihata spooked and back away in fear, which wasn't something he wanted. He wanted to have fun and the best fun would be when the boy would come to him willingly, all needy and... and he should stop it right now or else he would truly scare Kouki off with a massive erection. It had been some time since being in this calm and excited of a mood.

* * *

He knew there was no reason to be afraid anymore, but the way Akashi was staring at him made Kouki shiver and it was in not a good way. He made the tea and with a soft clank gave it to his quite unwanted guest.

"Um... I don't have anything to eat, sorry. I was invited by Sumire-san, but I already canceled it. But... erm, I have leftovers from yesterday?" He felt so stupid he wanted to slap himself. Once again, he made the same mistake. "Sorry, I never wanted to..."

"Gladly. It was tasty." Akashi smiled gently and there was a flutter in Kouki's stomach. When the magenta-haired boy wanted to, he could look stunning.

"O-okay..." Feeling very awkward, he started preparing dinner and vowed to himself to always keep something better in the fridge. Just in case. "Um... I'm sorry about messing up your plans yesterday."

"It's alright. It can wait. Revenge is better served cold." Yes, there was that crazy smile he knew alright. "Besides, the longer they wait, the worse the blow will be."

Despite himself, Kouki got curious.

"Did they do something that bad?"

Akashi blinked at him, looking a little taken aback.

"Of course! I wouldn't be wasting my time over something petty. Besides that little shite had it coming and it'll do the world a lot of good to scare him a little. Or rather—make him worry about something else." Those full lips formed a smirk. "Oh, he will be damn worried if I read him clearly."

That, Kouki decided, was all he had to know; anything more than that could end badly. And that was all he could think to say, so silence once again got awkward. Only when they started eating did Akashi stop staring at him with a strange smile that was sending shivers up his spine, making his head a little dizzy.

He almost choked on food when his guest suddenly said something.

"Sorry, could you repeat that? I didn't hear," he gasped out, after a whole minute of coughing.

Damn, he heard correctly. And Akashi acted like he didn't just drop a bomb.

"Are you free this Sunday?"

* * *

Was that question too soon? Furihata's eyes were so big he could go for the Guinness Record with them. Trying to ease the blow a little, he smiled. Somehow, smiling around this man was quite easy.

"I can't practice on my day off—and that's what I usually do on Sundays—and I will be bored, so I thought that maybe you would come with me somewhere."

"What about your teammates? Don't you want to hang out with any of them?"

He almost scowled. He liked his team to some degree, but they were the most insufferable bunch of idiots he'd ever met—considering he knew people like Shintarou with his lucky items, Daiki with an ego from Earth to the Moon, or Ryota and his constant whining... well, it was saying something.

"The only one I can stand for longer than an hour is Reo and going anywhere with him is annoying." He didn't want to add that Mibuchi liked guys his type, called him 'Sei-chan', and to top it all off had an embarrassing and creepy crush on Takao and could rant about Shutoku's point guard for hours. A few times, Seijuuro seriously considered letting him meet with Shintarou and seeing how that would look and who would end up dead, but decided against it.

"But, you know, I'm not the best company. I suck at karaoke, I always lose at the game center, and..."

"I thought about a movie, actually." Seeing that Furihata's eyes got big again, he almost snickered. Yes, he thought, this sounded like a date. "There is one I'd like to see, fantasy action, but I dislike going alone. As long as you're silent during the movie, I'll be glad."

He almost shivered remembering the last—and only—time he was with his middle school teammates in the cinema.

"I..." Furihata looked almost scared, but he choked out: "I was going to visit my parents on the weekend..."

Seijuuro looked at him sharply and he felt his jaw getting tense. The nerve! Furihata should agree! It was his fault Seijuuro's special Sunday practice was ruined! Maybe he really should tell the boy that the reason he wasn't allowed to practice was because that damned coffee also burned not only his hand, but his thigh as well—even if the pain on his hand was so big he barely felt there was something wrong with his leg. And he should fall for Akashi's smile—it was something no one up until now could say "no" to.

"But I can change the plans and go next weekend" Kouki said suddenly and looked at Seijuuro with nervous smile. "I know it's my fault—your hand, that is—and if you don't have anyone else to hang out with... it's just I'm a rather poor company and I don't want you to be bored."

Something painful squeezed Seijuuro's chest at the smile the boy sent him.

"I don't expect much and I've enjoyed your company until now. Besides... when my hand is getting healed I was wondering if you would like to play one on one with me."

He wasn't sure why he said this, since he was not only NOT "wondering" but also always felt a shudder of repulse when thinking of spending time on the court with someone with such abysmal talent. But that was yesterday and he wasn't quite sure what changed today, but the fantasy image of playing with Furihata made him... excited.

Something that couldn't be said about Kouki who was as pale as paper.

"You're joking, right?" Then he gulped and looked down at his plate. "No, not joking. Sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that. But... you're Akashi, _the_ Akashi, captain of Generation of Miracles and Rakuzan High basketball team. You're a genius and you seem bored while playing with teams that are good, but not exceptionally good. And they all are still better than me. It would..." He gulped and smiled. "It would be a waste of your time."

* * *

Please, let him understand that—Kouki prayed. He really, really didn't want to play with Akashi. Hell, he wanted to spend as little time with him as possible. Maybe he wasn't a son of yakuza but he still was damn scary. Maybe by highlighting his own boring persona and no talent at all in basketball, he would make the other boy drop the strange interest he had in him. Kouki knew he should somehow refuse that Sunday—not a date, definitely not a date—hanging out but when he talked about going to see his parents Akashi looked... hurt. His face twisted in something that could be read as annoyance but Kouki thought the boy looked hurt. And the moment he said he could go to the countryside later, he wanted to hang himself for opening that stupid mouth of his but Akashi's smile somehow... well, it was nice. And scary at the same time—he wasn't sure if he wasn't being played with.

"I decide what to do with my free time and if I want to play with you, I'm going to do just that."

Something in that tone—so cold, so final and imperative—made Kouki shiver and the worst thing about it was that he wasn't sure it was fear. It was more like envy and awe. Or at least he wanted to stick with that.

"Well... if you say so, Akashi-san. But don't be disappointed after you thoroughly kick my ass."

"I'll just kiss it better," was murmured and Kouki almost choked on his tea.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, I'll just kick it better, do something about your hearing."

Oh, god. For a moment he was sure he'd have a heart attack.

"Are... I mean, don't you have any place to go?" That was definitely not a good way to start a conversation. "I mean, you're an heir to your father, so I suppose you have some extra lessons or something?"

_Please remember you have some urgent thing to do, please, please..._

"No." _Shit._ "Every lesson I had to have, I had when I was younger. And I am my father's son, but not an heir."

"Huh?"

"That's none of your business" Akashi said calmly, but it was obvious he was upset. Kouki gulped.

"I-I-I'm sorry... I just thought... and... uh... oh, Shimeno-kun is back, if I hear correctly! I..."

No, he couldn't confess with Akashi in the same place. And he definitely shouldn't let Shimeno meet his guest—he didn't want to risk her falling for the guy. Kouki supposed many girls were drooling for Akashi—he was a true beauty and if he were to compete with the Rakuzan captain... well, it would be just like on the basketball court—utter failure.

"Yes?"

Oh, apparently he was waiting for something half-witted.

"Um, nothing. She just came back. I can sense who is coming up the stairs, you know! Shimeno-kun comes up very fast, but at the same time it's a light step, that's why I knew it's her. Actually the only one I never hear is Kudoh-san, he's like a ghost—doesn't make any sound."

He tried to laugh but it was very strained laughter.

"What is she like? That Shimeno."

Kouki started taking dishes to the sink, smiling along the way.

"She's very shy, that's first. She doesn't like to talk and it took me some time before she started saying anything to me. Mostly it's because she's afraid—she moved to Tokyo all alone from an all-girls school and suddenly she had to live on the same floor with two high school guys, so I don't blame her. But when I actually started talking with her I noticed she's very sweet—she's nice, calm, and girly at the same time. Oh, and she has a really pretty laugh, although a shy one. She's also cute—big, brown eyes, shiny hair, and she likes to wear frilly clothes, lots of lace, and that really suits her. She can't cook very well, but her bento is always tasty—sometimes she makes me one. And we often talk about movies, because our tastes are simi..." He almost choked on that. No way in hell he'll say he had a soft spot for romantic comedies. "I mean, she has similar taste to the girls I knew, so... yeah, I kinda... know about it."

"And what are those movies? I don't really know what girls like right now."

Kouki almost sighed with relief—Akashi didn't catch his slip of tongue. He was sitting properly on the floor, watching Kouki with a small smile. Furihata's head spun a little when he looked into red and gold eyes and he immediately turned back to the sink.

"Ugh, mostly romantic comedies—lame, I know. But sometimes when they talk about it, it sounds really nice. And there is new movie right now, Love on the... something—can't remember the full title—that Shimeno-kun wanted to see and I wonder if she'll go with me."

He supposed she would—no one else in this house was interested in movies like that and from what he gathered she didn't have many friends at school. Maybe after the movie he would take her... well, maybe for a hot chocolate? No, she didn't like chocolate and it was too hot for that. Tea? That was a good idea.

He was so deep in his daydream of the perfect date that he didn't realize Akashi was looking at him in such a way that if he saw it, he would drop dead with fear.

* * *

Three hours later, when the clock on the nightstand showed 10PM, Kouki realized that Akashi had a long way home and he would have to hurry to make the last train.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't realize it was this late!" he was saying while the other boy tied his shoes. "I'll walk you, alright?"

"There's no need. A car is waiting for me two streets from here." Akashi smiled at Kouki's troubled face. "Really. When I'm coming back this late my father always sends someone to fetch me. Which reminds me... would you give me your phone number?"

And this was it. The moment Kouki should tell Akashi "no". He really should, because something was telling him that if he gave in... his life would change, drastically. And he liked his life the way it was—maybe a little dull and steady, but quiet and comfortable.

He looked up and even opened his mouth but then Akashi smiled almost pleadingly, looking like a totally adorable puppy, and Kouki found himself saying:

"Sure. I'll just get my cell."

He wondered how to name Akashi's contact, but he decided to just go with his last name—it's not like someone would...

"Look here." His head snapped up and then something clicked and...

"You did NOT just take my picture, right?!" He was horrified. His shirt was dirty—food dropped on it while he was eating, like always—his hair wasn't combed, and he definitely had a stupid look on face.

Akashi smirked.

"Oh, sure I did. I need to know who is calling, right? You can take one, too."

He was beet red—he could feel it. Feeling both shy and awkward, Kouki moved his cell up and took a picture, not even looking at it—his wall was safer to look at. This was ridiculous. He just took Akashi's picture. Why. How. It was just... just... He didn't know anything, but it felt both wrong and right.

He probably would stand there and try to find some reason for all of it, but suddenly there were warm hands on his cheeks and Akashi leaned in slowly, as if giving him time to step back. Furihata wondered briefly if he shouldn't but then he remembered it was normal for the other guy, so why not? You can call it goodbye kiss.

But it didn't feel like a goodbye kiss, not with the way Akashi's fingers were caressing his skin—it felt like they were producing small sparks that were making him shiver. And most definitely not a goodbye kiss with the way his lips were moving—sensual, slow kisses all over Kouki's mouth. His eyes closed and awkwardly he kissed back, capturing Akashi's full lips and brushing them with his chapped ones. This was good, he decided. It was pleasant and somehow his hand traveled to soft, magenta-colored hair—it was silky and Kouki loved its texture. His body started getting hot and he wasn't able to think properly. The other boy pressed his lips a little more firmly and then moved back with a small smile.

"Good night, Kouki."

And once again Furihata was left with a tingling mouth and no idea whatsoever what just happened. He looked into his phone and at the picture of Akashi he took—and immediately turned his cell off when he saw the most disturbing thing in his life.

This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Chuckling under his nose, Seijuuro walked with a spring to his step right to the car. Shame he wouldn't see Kouki's face when he looked at the photo and a face that Seijuuro practiced in front of the mirror for months.

"I'm happy you found us without any problems, Seijuuro-kun."

This voice made his smile disappear and definitely stopped any happy feelings he had. And he immediately wanted all of this back. Time spent with Furihata was... easy and quite filled with fun. The boy was so open and honest it was refreshing. Seijuuro, trying hard not to scowl, looked at the man that was opening the car door for him with a serene face. Face full of pretense. And—he hated to admit it—outstandingly beautiful face.

"It should be me opening door for you, Kikune-san." His voice was calm but something ugly was twisting inside of his stomach.

The man shook his head—movement that made his neatly trimmed, black as raven's wing hair caress ebony, elegant cheeks.

"It's not about this and you know it. I was actually hoping to talk to you along the way. So... please?"

Seijuuro almost sighed with annoyance. Kikune knew, knew it very well, that Akashi was not one to put a fight over something so trivial and that he was raised to act dignified. Without so much as one look into startlingly blue eyes he got in the car, noticing that the chauffeur put the screen up. Which meant that whatever Kikune was going to talk about with him was not going to reach his father. He wasn't sure if it was good or bad.

The older man sat in front of Seijuuro and put one slender leg over the other.

"Would you like some tea?"

"No. I already drank plenty of it."

His mouth quirked a little when he remembered how Kouki apologized for the bad taste—but the tea was actually good. Kikune sighed and put on that annoyingly nice smile—completely fake one considering just what this man did to him.

"We can't go on like that, Seijuuro-kun. I need your friendship and I need your help, just like before. Your father is not often around us both but one day he'll see just how bad things are between us and you know that it'll upset him. And before you'll say it was his own fault... please, consider that in our world—the business world—there are some things are beyond even our control."

Seijuuro smiled sinisterly and gloated inside when Kikune shivered visibly and leaned back a little.

"Oh, those things are perfectly under control and you know it. You could say "no", he could not say anything, but you both choose it like that. I'm fine with that, Kikune-san, in case you wondered. This is not why I'm acting like I do. I won't once again offer you a friendship that was betrayed. I won't help you in anything—you got in that mess without me and you'll have to deal with the consequences. Wasn't that the very first lesson you taught me?"

Ah, the nice guy mask dropped and, with something akin to jealousy, Seijuuro noticed that the annoyed Kikune looked even better than the serene one. He knew that man's parents were both extremely good-looking, but over the years he wondered if there were any situation in which Kikune could look bad. He himself knew that when he started acting psycho—something that was handy in many situations—he looked... well, not good. But he was working on it.

"You still don't get my point, Sei." Well, that was it. Akashi was now on the war path. "It's not only about your father but also about the company, don't you realize it? If we would work together..."

"First of all, _Airi_, I already told you that you lost the privilege to call me like that." _Yes, shiver with fear, you shit._ Seijuuro pulled out his most psychotic face and this time there wasn't much acting into that. He was smiling, feeling almost hysterical, and was barely holding back a nervous laughter. "You should consider yourself lucky that I didn't find a way to compromise you or get rid of you when I had the chance, but back then I was thinking about the company and about my father. Right now I have no need to so much as care about you. I want to finish high school without any problems, playing basketball along the way, and then get out of the house and as far away from you as possible. I have my inheritance and it's my own, so you can't threaten me with it. So, to say it rudely, suck it up and get the fuck out of my way. You'll have to deal with it and with my father all alone." Then, almost seeing tears in the weaklings eyes—he always was a crybaby, but that was a brilliant manipulation idea when combined with such a pretty face—he finished it with a low blow. "After all, he's your father also, isn't he?"

Kikune's tears fell, but he wiped them with a sleeve.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." That faltering voice worked on Seijuuro two years ago, but not any longer. It was making him sick. "If you would just listen to me at least once..."

"I don't want to." He said sharply. "Stop the car."

"Se... Seijuuro-kun..."

"I said, stop the car. I'll be sleeping somewhere else, even in a hotel if I must."

Kikune sighed and tapped at the screen twice. The car slowed down and stopped after some time.

"At least tell me where you are going to sleep," was said in resigned tone of voice.

"I'll text father, so you don't have to worry your pretty head about it," Seijuuro sneered with a twisted happiness seeing how each and every word seemed to pain Kikune. Even if the pain was faked. "And don't come to fetch me ever again."

He opened the door and stopped only for a second when the man sighed.

"I get the feeling you'll understand me very soon."

"I seriously doubt it."

Only when he found the nearest hotel—not a very fancy one, he disliked those kinds of places—and showered, did he feel clean. Being around Kikune was like bathing in a swamp.

With annoyance he opened his phone and pressed F, to text father. His eyes looked a little ways down and he felt a little better when he saw "Furihata, Kouki" in his contacts book. After writing a short message—with a name of the place and short good night—he opened the folder with pictures to find the most recent one he took.

Kouki probably thought he looked awful, but his flushed and embarrassed face with tousled hair on the top was one of the cutest things Seijuuro had ever seen and this sight made his stomach unknot by itself.

* * *

**A/N:** _mwahahaha, so in the end we have a little mystery – who's Kikune? And what exactly did he do to Akashi? No worries, those questions will be answered! Just… not right away. I'm evil, I know. And I'm surprised by the actual plot as well xD Okay, so that's it for today. Reviews, of course, would be welcomed! I'm seriously happy that there _are_ comments!_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** _(Warning! Caps lock abuse!) CAN I TELL YOU HOW AWESOME THE FIRST EPISODE WAS?! THEY REALLY MADE HIMURO SO GORGEOUS I BARELY COULD LOOK AT HIM WITHOUT DROPPING TO MY KNEES! But their English… poka face, omfg xD No, I'll forget that part. Yup. Going to concentrate on Kuroko going into jealous rage ended with Nigou slapping straying Kagami._

_And we got a shot of Akashi's ass! I mean, back, yup, totally was going to say back. Which also means ass, just saying._

_Okay, enough of rambling. From now on we'll have quite a lot of texting between our scaredy cat and Emperor, so to point it out - every text message is in italics. If there is going to be any phone talk - it'll be in normal font. Only text messages are in italics.  
_

* * *

The first time Akashi texted Kouki, the boy almost had a seizure.

The second time Akashi texted Kouki, the boy dropped his cell phone.

The third time Akashi texted Kouki, the boy opened his phone and shut it just after glancing at the contact photo.

The fourth time Akashi texted Kouki, the boy actually read the messages and once again almost had heart attack. Because the first two messages were quite normal—at which hour will his practice end and what's for dinner—but the third one was definitely impatient and the fourth was a full-blown threat.

Gulping, Kouki once again read: _If you're going to ignore me, you'll regret it. Just write a simple yes or no—do you want me to come today?_

And that question was a really big problem. Because Kouki didn't want Akashi to come. Being around Rakuzan's captain was... weird and uncomfortable. He couldn't concentrate on anything and every time Akashi so much as shifted, he got all tense and sweaty, his heart hammering inside of his chest. He was afraid. So, so, so afraid... And he knew that if he replied "_no_" he would be worrying for at least the next few weeks, waiting for the sword of revenge to fall upon his head. Or something—his imagination was running wild at this point, so, feeling utterly horrified, he sent a short "_yes_" and then immediately thought that such a short response might anger Akashi, so with hands shaking with anxiety he sent: "_What would you like to eat? I don't have any idea what to cook today._"

Two hours later there was still no response and he was feeling even worse than ever.

* * *

"Sei-chan, what's with you today?"

Seijuuro looked up at Reo and wondered why in the world the other guy had the need to come to his class. He probably should have noticed the man's appearance—all the girls were squealing in such high-pitched tones that his ears hurt a little.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You've been staring without blinking for an hour if people I asked are to be believed."

He hummed lightly and looked at his phone.

"I don't know if I would like pork or vegetables," Akashi said truthfully, but the look on the older guy's face was so incredulous, he immediately changed topics. "Why are you here?"

"Ah, I wanted to ask about today's practice. Are you..." He gulped before saying words that usually meant ten lapses more for the person who used them. "Are you... sure that letting Hayama lead is a good thing? When he starts bouncing up and down he freaks us all out."

"But he has the best hand work and all of the freshmen's and a few of the juniors' dribbling skills are so lame it isn't even funny." Which reminded him that if he were to play with Kouki he needed to point out his lousy dribbling and do something with that. "Besides, this way he'll be a little calmer, since he knows that he'll be answering to me if their skills won't improve. I want him to learn to control himself at least a little, otherwise he'll have problems. Ah, and let him know that he should eat a little more, I saw he lost weight once again. With such hard training, he needs to eat more."

Reo smiled happily and then patted Seijuuro's thigh—his hand much higher than was polite, but since this was normal, he decided to ignore it.

"So... how is your leg? Do you need something? I can massage it or put some medicine on it or even talk to my uncle, who's a doctor! I'm worried… and it's not only me."

"Thank you, but I'm fine. It needs to heal naturally. In a week and a half, I should be able to train once more." Suddenly inspiration hit him and he added casually. "Lately everyone is talking about some new romance movie. And since I have too much free time I would like to go. But I don't know the title."

"Hmmm... and do you know what it's about? My sisters are babbling about movies all the time so maybe I'll know."

He counted on it.

"It's _Love on the_... something, I'm not sure what."

Reo almost sparkled with happiness.

"Ooooh, you're talking about _Love on the Sand and Rock_! My, I never knew you were into girly movies, Sei-chan." When Seijuuro glared at him, the older man shut up.

"I just heard it's worth watching."

"A-ah... Okay, I suppose it is. From what I remember the cast is not well-known but are getting famous now. It's a typical romance—he meets her, they fall in love, he goes to the war and goes missing, she waits and waits for him and... well, from what I heard the ending is both beautiful and heartbreaking, has something to do with some letter, but I didn't have the nerve to hear out sniffling and squealing girls. But if you want to, I can go with you."

Acting like he didn't hear him Seijuuro already was checking in his phone hours at which the movie was played on Sunday. Kouki could try to fool him, but it was obvious it was he who wanted to go and see it and he only looked for a decoy in the form of a woman. Stupidity, if you ask him—if you want to go somewhere, you just go and don't worry about what people say.

"Pork or vegetables?" he asked and Reo twitched. Seijuuro knew the guy was looking at him with something akin to curiosity and incredulousness.

"Vegetables, definitely."

"Then it's pork." He smiled and made his decision. Since he rarely had the opportunity to say what he would like to eat, he'd really had a tough time between choosing. After sending the short: '_Pork_', he closed phone and calmly asked: "What is it?"

"Hmmm?"

"You're staring."

Reo smiled brightly and a few girls started squealing, even if that smile was directed at Seijuuro.

"Oh, I just think that I don't remember you ever having this kind of face before. And I'm surprised to see it now when you should be mad because you can't train." Like the true sissy that he was, Reo patted his captain's head (something that Akashi loathed but chose to ignore) and winked. "If you ever feel like talking, I'm here."

"Thank you, but I'll manage."

He had no idea what kind of thoughts appeared in Reo's head but he also knew that he didn't want to dwell on it. There were much more interesting things to think of—like how far he could push Furihata.

Yesterday's kiss was a surprise to him. He'd only wanted to tease and walk out after few brushes of lips, but it seemed like Kouki didn't like to be teased. The moment he captured Seijuuro's lips made Rakuzan's captain heart miss a beat, something that never happened to him if it wasn't in a game. For a moment, he wanted to shove him into the wall, kiss deep, make their tongues entwine and dance, to make Kouki gasp and moan, whimper under him. His hands almost hurt with the force he put into not sliding them from his cheeks—he wanted to once again see that slim body, run his hands over the muscles under soft skin, kiss it, lick, bite... He almost got hard when he imagined Furihata's shocked but lust-filled gaze if he would do just that. But he couldn't. Seijuuro wanted to play—and sometimes before completely luring pray into the trap, it was best to play with it for a long time. He wanted this boy to stop thinking about girls and come to him, to want him, to choose him over everything else. That would make Seijuuro's life a little less boring and that small revenge on Seirin would be satisfying.

He already made Furihata accept his kiss twice—and that meant the boy would accept even more, because saying "no" would mean that he started to realize there was something between them. Which meant the moment Kouki would say "no" he would already be in the trap even if he didn't realize it. No, he'd realize it only when he'd be left all alone. At that thought, something inside Seijuuro contracted with pain, sending him a vision of a smiling, innocent face, but he brushed it aside—that was the life. One was betrayed by the people he trusted—and Furihata definitely didn't trust him, so the blow wouldn't be as harsh as it could be. This would be a good lesson for naive boy and less painful than it would be in any other case.

On his way to the metro station he passed by the gym to make everyone remember he still is a captain (and to make Kotarou stop smiling idiotically, at least for a second) and then took out his book, to pass time somehow. The distance was a bitch; that he had to admit. And the schoolgirls were even worse. He was nice to them, politely blowing them off, but it took over half an hour of his precious time before they realized he's not up for a date. Like he would want to spend time with them. He liked women who were polite, well-mannered, and fucking _quiet_. Female voices always made his head hurt and he had no idea how he would cope with a wife in the future. Assuming he would take a wife. Now he didn't absolutely have to and that was probably the only highlight of this situation.

His phone vibrated and he looked at the screen only to see a contact photo of blushing, baffled boy.

'_I'm sorry, very, very sorry, but I can't buy pork anywhere, everyone is out. Would you be okay with chicken and leek?_'

Considering he was okay to eat anything as long as it was good, he sent a short '_yes_' and after a few seconds added: '_I'll come with some juice. What would you prefer?_'

'_I'm okay with anything! Really! You don't have to!_'

Now that was getting annoying.

_'Juice will go well with chicken, that's why I ask._'

'_Oh, okay, then maybe orange?_'

'_I asked the question._'

'_Yes, sorry. I didn't meant to offend you. Orange, please. If that's not a problem, because if you want something else, then it's alright with me!_'

'_Orange, then. How are you standing with Chemistry?_'

* * *

Chemistry? Kouki blinked few times at his screen and scratched his head while thinking.

When Akashi finally replied with a short message about pork, Kouki was so relieved he almost sobbed. In the span of the two hours without a reply, he'd created hundreds of different scenarios—in most of them it was he who ended up as a main dish, chopped and skinned while still alive. So when every shop he walked into on his way home was out of pork, he started getting anxious. Feeling his heart thumping in his throat and some ugly, heavy things move in stomach, he texted Akashi about the pork problem.

And right now, he was seriously wondering how normal the Rakuzan captain could sound.

'_I'm second in class._'

Whatever he needed that for? Furihata smiled when he saw Kudoh-san going out of the house, looking positively panicked.

"Good evening, Kouki! I haven't seen you in long time. Damn, I'll be late..."

"Good evening, how's the book going?"

Kudoh-san holed himself up in his room two weeks ago and wasn't even going to the official meals with landlord. It happened from time to time when he was stuck with something and didn't want to get out because of all the distractions.

"Luckily, I managed to finish that hellish chapter" laughed the man and pointed at Kouki's bags. "You having guests?"

"Yes, something like that."

He wasn't sure how exactly he should explain—Kudoh-san could react strangely if Furihata would say he was threatened without actually being threatened. And he would sense that something was wrong even if Kouki didn't tell him a thing. He and Kudoh-san understood each other without words sometimes and he always felt like he could tell older guy everything.

His phone vibrated.

'_Do you have any idea how organometallic compounds work?_'

He sighed in relief.

"Sorry, Kudoh-san, I need to go. Oh, but if you want to, you can drop by and I'll give you some dinner, okay? I bought a little too much for two people." He muttered, feeling stupid. He really should start getting this fear under control.

"Sure, I'll come in about two hours, since I have meeting with my publisher. Maybe even this way I'll talk myself out of drinking? Man, I hate it."

On his way up Kouki send another message.

'_I'm pretty good in it. Had an A out of it on test last week. Why are you asking?_'

Just as he pressed the button, he froze in fear. He just asked why. Oh, god. Please don't let him be mad. Don't let him be mad!

'_I have homework to do and this is the only thing that I have problems with. In exchange, I can help you out with something._'

He sighed with relief and wondered for a moment.

'_I'm no good with history—both Japan and World. If it's okay with you, that is._'

He started cutting chicken and frying it, so when a message came he had to wash hands before answering.

'_Good. I'll be at the station in about fifteen minutes. Do you need something?_'

He looked around and briefly wondered.

'_If you prefer pasta over rice, I don't have any. Sorry about that, I didn't think. I usually eat everything with rice._'

'_Rice is okay._'

Only when he was adding vegetables to the fully fried chicken Kouki realized he was smiling all this time. Maybe because they would spend time while doing something already planned so no awkward silent moments would appear?

Or so he thought—the moment someone knocked on his door, he jumped up, almost making all the food land at his feet. Boiling hot food on his very bare feet. Nervously he opened the lock and smiled at Akashi, noticing that in a matter of one hundredth of second heterochromatic eyes looked him up and down. Probably noticing all the food left on him—especially that ugly stain on the hem of his shirt when oil splashed at him.

"Um... hi, come in. Um... er..." Damn what should he said now. Suddenly he remembered all the stuff his mother asked his father when he was back from work trips. "How was the road?"

"Good evening." Akashi smiled at him, and Kouki felt that ugly thing moving once again, but this time he was feeling hot. And embarrassed for some reason. "It was loud. Some girls were trying to hit on me and it took some time to make them understand I'm not interested."

"Oh... good." Akashi moved one brow upwards. "That you're getting hit on, I mean. I find it lucky. No one ever tries that on me."

He laughed, trying to make joke of it, but even to his own ears that seemed fake. Akashi only looked at him with something in his eyes that made Kouki feel even more miserable, but then he saw the bag in the other boy's hand.

"That must be heavy, I'll... I mean, you can take it, you're much better developed than me..." Gods, he just did not think about Akashi's chest and arms. Even if he found it extremely unfair that he was less muscular. "I mean, you're strong, that's for sure, but I can put it..."

"I'll put it on the table, if that's okay with you."

"Yes! The table! That's a good idea... Oh, food! I'll serve... I mean, it'll be ready... or served... in few minutes, I need to wait for the vegetables to get a little more fried... I like it that way, but if you don't then it's okay! I'll just take it off the fire..."

Shit, once again he was he couldn't stop himself from babbling and couldn't even comprehend what was coming out of his mouth. He was nervous. Very, very nervous and Akashi's calm smile wasn't helping him. And when he spoke Kouki shivered. It was a very nice voice—low and dignified. Just that steely something that was felt...

"I apologize for not answering right away. I couldn't decide what I would want to eat."

"Ah, that's okay! Really! I was worried for a second that I offended you, but, well, that wouldn't be any surprise. I'm really no good when it comes to things like that. With my friends I can just write what I want and with you I get nervous... Oh, fork and knife, like last time? Okay. I get nervous because they're my friends and they understand I don't mean anything bad and besides they don't smile at me like that. No, they're not the pretty guy type. Not that there is anything wrong in being pretty, it's really good, nice for eyes, you're gorgeous, but they don't make me babble like an idiot because of their eyes... Here, salt, if you would want to. Huh? Are you feeling unwell?" Akashi looked at him with a slightly red face—maybe it was too hot inside the room? —but didn't take his eyes off of Kouki. "Oh, the food is hot and it's quite high temperature today... Maybe I'll open the window?"

Akashi swallowed and shook his head.

"There is no need. I'm just a little overwhelmed. Do you always make food this salty?"

He paled.

"Oh, god. You dislike salty food? Sorry, next time I'll..."

Next time? Shit, no one said there will be next time! Oh, now he was definitely digging up his own grave.

"No, I like it like that. You're quite a good cook."

"Ah, no, nothing like that. I can cook just few things and sometimes it comes out so ugly I need to throw it out. Can you cook?"

"Yes. Nothing outstanding, but I still can." He smiled while chewing and Kouki wondered if Akashi knew just how approachable and... well, cute he looked while making such face. "Atsushi is a really good cook, even if the only things he makes are sweets."

"So it seems that life is really unfair—you guys are good at so many things, even basketball excluded. Kise-san is model, Murasakibara-san can cook well, and you're a genius from what I hear."

"That's a little too much to say," muttered Akashi, looking sad for a moment. "I know that there are things I'm not good at and that it's normal. But if you're so concerned, let me tell you that both Shintarou and Daiki are utterly useless outside the court."

Kouki laughed loud—both at the words and the face Akashi pulled while saying this. When he stopped laughing he saw that Rakuzan captain's was looking at him with... well, if he was someone else he would call it fondness. But he was probably laughing at him deep down.

"Uh, sorry, it was just..."

"I know. Now, let's eat and get to homework."

More than happy to get some plan laid ahead, Kouki dug in.

* * *

As far as it was going Seijuuro could tell his plan was working. Furihata was getting more and more able to relax with him, even if he was babbling like an idiot at the beginning.

Surprisingly—Seijuuro didn't mind that. He even liked all the compliments the oblivious boy was throwing his way. He was used to hearing he's handsome, beautiful, or whatever people were calling him, but usually it was with some sort of goal—to kiss up to his father, to get something out of him, to make him date or bed someone... This was probably first time he heard it... just said. Repeatedly. It made him feel a little dizzy and he wondered if that was just some kind of sickness or—worse—weakness.

Was he vain? Did he like to hear his eyes were gorgeous? He couldn't remember, honestly. Sure, when he was discovering himself, he pushed a few people to say something nice about his appearance, but they all failed to make him so much as squint—Kuroko just blinked and off-handedly said it, Atsushi maybe could put some heart into his words if Seijuuro turned into chocolate cake, Daiki muttered it out while looking at something else, Shintarou backed off and demanded to know what the fuck is wrong with him (seriously, such a foul mouth this one had and no one could tell at the first glance) and Ryota... Well, he avoided asking Ryota—he feared the idiot wouldn't shut up.

"In all seriousness, how do you understand that?" murmured Kouki, while looking at the chart that Seijuuro made for him.

"It's not that hard to understand. Think of the whole Second World War as one big basketball court, but with more than one team. And when you think only about Japan..." He smiled when he saw how Furihata's brows contracted as he was trying very hard to understand. "You do get what I'm talking about, right?"

The boy smiled shyly up at him. He was sitting very close and that was working just fine for Seijuuro.

"More or less. I just never thought of looking at history like this and I need to wrap my mind..."

At this moment someone knocked on the door and Kouki murmured a soft "sorry" and moved to open it.

"Kudoh-san, good to see you again."

"Likewise." The man that walked in was pretty small, both his frame and height were not impressive, even if he seemed a little chubby, but he was moving around so swiftly that Akashi immediately saw that these were not his natural movements. He was trained to act like that, which meant he was from the upper society—only those who had years of the best training could make unnatural moves look natural. His hair was curly and messy, his face not very interesting, but he could be called handsome. Only when he smiled at Kouki was Seijuuro taken aback for a second—this one had one of the nicest smiles he ever saw. "I'll just take the plate and go, okay? We'll talk tomorrow. Daisuke is coming back today and I want to make some time for him, since I was neglecting..." Then he saw Seijuuro and blushed so hard it couldn't be considered healthy. "Oh, god, how rude I must look. I'm sorry, I don't usually look around and... uh, my name is Kudoh Kimihiro, nice to meet you. Are you Kouki's friend?"

"Yes." He ignored the shocked look on Furihata's face. "I'm Akashi Seijuuro, nice to meet you. I assume Daisuke is the famous Fukamachi-san I'm hearing about?"

Once again that dazzling smile, but this time it was definitely pushed. Good acting, but still acting.

"Yes, he had to go and personally transport some parts of some machine... I'm not good with those things, so I'm not sure what was he talking about. We haven't seen each other in a week, so... so maybe I'll just go," he muttered, once again blushing and covering his face with his hand. "I tend to talk too much after being locked up."

Seijuuro blinked twice. Locked up?

"Kudoh-san was working on a new chapter of his book and he always locks himself up in his room when he works," added Kouki, apparently sensing his confusion. Strange, usually he masked it well.

"Yes, yes... So... um... Do you have some sugar, by the way?" He awkwardly laughed and scratched his nape. "It seems I'm out and I need to write few lines more and..."

"Yes, of course. Wait a minute, please."

Kouki rushed to the kitchen, and Kudoh looked at Seijuuro sharply, his sloppy act dropping immediately.

"What the hell do you want from him?" he hissed angrily and glared.

Yes, he was right. Higher upbringing and good acting skills.

"I'm just passing my time and I happen to enjoy Kouki's company."

"Did Minoru send you here? I told him already thousands of times that I won't come back until my parents will accept Daisuke! Until then they can bugger off!" Well, that was certainly interesting. "You better leave Kouki out of this! He's an exceptionally good kid and you all are just going to dirty him."

"That's his problem and not yours, right?" he smiled coldly, wondering what his father had to do with all of this. Definitely he had more than homework to do.

"Argh, I can't find it!" Kouki appeared and both Seijuuro and Kudoh immediately started grinning, like if nothing happened. "I'm sorry! But Sumire-san definitely would have, she practically lives on it."

"Yes, of course. I'll go to her. So, be careful and play nice," he laughed but when Furihata turned around Kudoh's face hardened and Seijuuro knew it was meant for him to see it. So he did the only thing that was right—he rose up, walked close to Kouki and put an arm around the shocked boy.

"It was nice to meet you, Kudoh-san."

And with his free hand he made a gesture that he knew the older man will understand—a sign that was meant for servants to get lost. Oh, all the nerves on the man's face danced with obvious strain to keep smile on.

"So..." Furihata was obviously uncomfortable in the embrace, but couldn't find a way out. "Um... Chemistry?"

Seijuuro shook his head.

"Sorry, I just remembered I have to do something at home." When Kouki made strange expression, he sighed. "But I'll still probably need help with it, so... I'll come tomorrow if it's okay with you."

He was well past the point where asking for help was stupid, unnecessary, and a failure. He knew that he wasn't all that powerful and why would he have to spend hours of trying to understand something that just wasn't sitting well with him when he could use help? He knew that Kouki would agree to help him.

What he didn't know was that he would agree with such a bright smile that his head will spin. Without thinking, Seijuuro tightened his grip and pressed Furihata to himself. He could feel it—fear in the other boy, his reluctance and acceptance at the same time. His own heart was racing, breath was getting heavy, and he was marveling at the feeling of the boy's body plastered to his. He smelled really good—like fresh sweat, some deodorant, and food. And, shit, he was closing his eyes, apparently knowing what would come. Leaning in, Seijuuro briefly wondered how much of a game was in this and if he wasn't making a tactical mistake, but those tiny lips looked so inviting...

The first touch of their mouths sent sparks right to his toes, making him press his mouth more firmly. Kouki whimpered and clenched his hands onto the back of Akashi's shirt. Their lips were caressing one another and occasionally the tip of the tongue was wetting them. The kiss was languid, almost lazy, but so sensual everything hurt. Seijuuro opened his mouth a little and kissed the other boy more firmly, making a cackling sound that aroused him even further. But it was nothing compared to his reaction when Kouki reciprocated and kissed him just as sensually. His lips were wet, slick, hot, and so soft inside... Akashi's hand darted to messy, mousy hair and moved to Furihata's nape. With little force he made the boy's head tilt to the side so the kiss could get deeper. Out of its own accord, Kouki's body moved and leaned heavily on Seijuuro, who loved the pressure.

Only when he thought about using his tongue did he stop. That would definitely be too early.

Slowing down the pace he took a step back and released Furihata from his grip. After a few full parting kisses, he gently eased himself from the boy's arms and smiled at him.

"I'll be back tomorrow."

And while Kouki was observing him with a dazed smile that was making his resolve to get out fast crumbling, Seijuuro packed his things, tied his shoes, connected their lips once more—making Furihata gasp with surprise and definitely pleasure—and walked out.

He really had homework to do.

* * *

**A/N:** _short one this time, but next chapter will not only be helluva long, but also filled with smut and, as syntia amano called it, skinship ^.^ I should post it around Saturday, a few hours before the new episode, to do something before going mad with anxiety!  
_

_As always – reviews will be appreciated! (because, seriously, they _really_ are! I squal every time I get e-mail with review!)_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**_**:**__ BEWARE THE SMUT! No, really, if you'really, if you're uncomfortable with graphic descriptions you better leave this story – from now on, the sexiness is_ on. _And we get to see Furihata's less innocent side, which I decided to give him - and I still think it totally suits him._

* * *

_What the hell was happening?!_ This was the main thought for Kouki in the next three days. Suddenly his life had turned strange and he couldn't decide what to do anymore. He had a horrible feeling that he'd lost grasp of what was happening long ago.

Every day he was exchanging more and more messages with Akashi, making dinner for both of them, then helping Rakuzan's captain with Chemistry and, in exchange, getting help with History and then... then there were those goodbye kisses that no longer felt comfortable. But what was making him scared the most was that he wasn't as scared as he thought he would be. Akashi was good company, even if at times it was still scary as hell and... well, he was a pretty good kisser. Too good, probably. Furihata knew he was quite sensual person, almost powerless in his need when it came to the pleasures of body, but Akashi was taking his addiction to pleasure on a whole new level – a very uncomfortable one.

It was Sunday morning, Kouki was still lying in his bed—he fell asleep around 4AM, feeling all scared and wrapped tightly in sheets, since his darkness anxiety attack had kicked in and he was physically unable to sleep with the light on. He was tired, wanted to go to sleep, but sighed when he remembered that at 9am he had to be at the station to take the train. This time he would go to Akashi, as promised. Well, there was still some time left...

Feeling a little guilty he closed eyes and exhaled loudly. Really good kisser... Yesterday's kiss left Kouki dazed and aching—he felt extremely embarrassed when he realized he had gotten hard mid-kiss. Somehow being squeezed between Akashi's surprisingly hard body and the wall felt really good... It started pretty innocently—he tripped over his own foot and the other boy tried to catch him and somehow he ended shoving Kouki into the wall and falling over him. The worst thing was that Furihata didn't know who kissed whom first—all that he was aware of were soft lips over his own and the sudden urge to mewl and get as close as possible. His head was spinning, his hands found themselves in Akashi's hair and he felt stupidly happy when a strong arm snuck around his waist. Remembering this, he palmed his already hard cock and gasped when his imagination made him believe it was a boy with gorgeous, creepy eyes touching him, while hovering over him. Yesterday, Kouki wanted Akashi to touch him so much... but he was afraid and this—this was just a glorious fantasy. He pulled his pants down and stroked the hard muscle a few times before closing his eyes once again and letting his imagination take the lead.

It was Akashi's fingers that were dancing on the head of his cock, it was he who had a strong grip on the shaft and teased his balls. Kouki opened his mouth and groaned, his tongue darting out. He imagined kissing the other boy deep, with their tongues entwining, lips pressing with bruising force... Then that tongue traveling down and down Kouki's neck, his nipples, stomach... Teasing him, making him shiver and beg, all the time wanting more and more. A sudden vision of Akashi's red and gold eyes filled with lust watching him while he licked Furihata's cock made him shiver and moan, and his hand moved faster, much faster. Feeling bold and hazy with lust he shifted a little, touched his ass and played with it, brushing fingers over puckered skin and wondering if he would like Akashi to do that, also. Vision of the other boy pressing his fingers into him made Kouki moan and bite his lower lip. His deep, steely voice was whispering obscenities to him, making him want more and more, to touch, just take it, yes, like that... Akashi from his fantasy was now pressing him into the mattress, one hand furiously pumping his cock, the second wriggling a finger into his ass and he was saying that Kouki was his, that he would fuck him mercilessly, take him all for himself, make him beg for release, never let him go... Kouki whimpered, tears of arousal flowing from his eyes. He had to come, he had to, just a little, more, oh! yes, yesyesyes, please...

"Aka...shi..." he sobbed out and came so hard he almost blacked out.

Breathing hard and feeling utterly disgusted with himself, Kouki pulled out the finger and sighed. It wasn't unnatural for him to use people he found remotely interesting or hot for his fantasies, but this was just... wrong. It wasn't about Akashi being a man—he was over it since Fukamachi-san told him how sex between men looks and he had one or two glorious wanks about Hyuuga-senpai and Izuki-senpai. But... it was only fantasy, something that was supposed to make him aroused and get rid of morning erections, or when the mood struck him. He liked to experiment, a few times sticking something in his butthole (and finding it strangely pleasant) but it's not like he was gay. He loved girls, had a crush on Shimeno, and it's not like he ever felt anything for any guy, even when they were in the showers he didn't feel like peeking (he did it only once, for the sake of fantasy material). But with Akashi... He had no idea what was going on here—it was like a rollercoaster of ugly fear and equally ugly excitement.

He jumped up and looked at his phone when it vibrated. Message '_Are you up?_' made him blush, thinking that no, he got rid of that, thank you very much. With a groan he buried his face in hands, trying to keep calm.

'_Yes, I'm getting ready. Is there anything I need to wear?_'

'_No. Just take something warm, it can get cool._'

'_Okay, thank you. And sorry if I'm going to be boring company._'

He really felt that way. He wasn't that much fun—just an average guy, without so much as a side hobby that wasn't basketball and he couldn't even get himself to talk about that with a basketball prodigy.

Which was making him think why would Akashi want to spend time with him? Well, that question appeared in his head pretty often, since Rakuzan's captain asked him to spend Sunday together. The train Kouki boarded was a little packed up but he still found a place to sit. He had over two hours to Kyoto but even if the book he took was interesting, his thoughts were straying.

He liked kissing Akashi and that was probably his biggest problem right now. He never thought he would enjoy doing something like this in reality, but it was even better than all of fantasies, which were pretty explicit but nowhere near those few simple kisses. Kouki thought that maybe he was just... well, frustrated, but that also wasn't an issue. His last girlfriend broke up with him three weeks ago, right after steamy hot sex and since then he'd been much too heartbroken to even think about getting laid. Maybe that's why he decided to take a chance on his crush on Shimeno? He supposed he didn't stand a chance with her, hence he never acted on it and even made himself like other girls, but he was getting desperate ever since that first kiss with Rakuzan's captain.

He really wanted to smash that book in his face. Why was he obsessing over a few simple—even if bordering on very gay—kisses? For Akashi it was something normal, if Kuroko's words were to be believed. So it shouldn't be anything that Kouki should be thinking about, right? And yet his primal fear of the magenta-haired boy started to get less and less for his life and more for his sanity.

Akashi was actually a pretty nice person to be around. He could get very, very scary and overbearing, sputtering some nonsense about his word being absolute (although Kouki failed to see what exactly his opinion on Japan's action during WWII had to do with it) but usually he was just calm and quite... smiley. Sure, his smiles could get so creepy that Furihata physically took a few steps back, but usually it was what he would call a "calm smile" type, pleasant and warm. Sometimes he would chuckle and beam at him and... and that made something inside his chest swell.

He could only hope that Rakuzan's captain would tire of him after today. At this moment his phone vibrated.

'_I truly do get mad whenever you say something like this—you're insulting my choice of company, so stop it. I'll be waiting for you outside the station, just take the West Gate and I'll find you._'

He smiled with effort, feeling droplets of fear on his spine—Akashi's timing was truly horrifying. With shaking fingers he wrote back.

'_Okay, I'll stop, I'm sorry. I never meant to insult you._'

'_And stop apologizing. It's annoying._'

'_Yes, sorry._'

'_Kouki._'

He groaned and blushed when girls sitting near him looked at him strangely and giggled. Great, now he was making an idiot out of himself.

'_I won't do it again, I swear._' He typed fast, and then, after some thinking, added. '_But I have no idea what we're going to do today. Got any plans?_'

He was waiting for the reply with a hammering heart and when it came he almost dropped the phone in surprise.

'_A few. I need to buy new shoes for the gym, so you'll go with me. We have booked tickets for a movie at 1PM, so we'll have some time. Later we'll just wander around and I'm taking you for a dinner to my house. This time I'll cook._'

Kouki's mouth was wide open and his furiously red face had absolutely nothing to do with the girls that were now openly laughing at him. This... this sounded a little... well, not even a little! It _totally_ sounded like a date! No, no, no. He had to calm down. Furihata hid his face in hands, trying to calm down. It wasn't a date—Akashi was a man, he probably didn't have many friends with a personality like that, so he just... well, he just wanted to be nice. Kouki would plan everything, too, if his friend was coming to his town after spending few days eating his food and lounging in his house. Yeah, he was just... overthinking it.

Having no idea what to write back he spent the next hour looking nervously at his cell and wondering what to do. So when the door opened and he got out of the train, he was sweating from the nerves and almost collided with a wall. It wouldn't do him any good to start hyperventilating, but he was close to it. He wanted to go back, but he was sure that creepy part of Akashi would kick in and he wouldn't put it past the other boy to seriously do something to him. Everything nice that he could think about Rakuzan's captain suddenly flew out of his head and all that was left was panic. He took the West Gate but his steps were heavy and he felt like he was walking to his execution. Feeling like a total coward, he let himself prop on the wall and think it all over again. There is still time to go back and catch a train... but the consequences... His stomach squeezed painfully.

"Are you okay?" A concerned voice sounded right beside Kouki's ear and he saw one of the girls that were laughing at him. The rest of them were standing two steps back, but all were observing him. "You were making strange faces all the way and till the end you were almost green, now you're barely walking. I don't suppose you're drunk so... are you ill? Do you need a doctor?"

She put a hand—a very soft, small hand—on his forehead and he smelled a subtle floral scent.

"I can call a cab if you want!" said one of the girls, taking out her phone.

"Or walk you to the nearby hospital."

He opened his mouth to say he was okay, he only needed air, and the girl who was pressing her hand to his forehead was too close, but he didn't have the opportunity to. Suddenly the girl's hand was taken away and she looked up and blushed furiously.

"Where have you been?" Kouki didn't even have to look up, Akashi's voice was engraved deep into his memory. It was too late... All of his anxiety left him in a second and he felt weak at the knees and wobbled a little, unconsciously falling a little over the source of his problems. Rakuzan's captain put his arm around Furihata's back and every place he was touching was burning… "Are you feeling unwell, Kouki?"

"In the last hour he was going red, green, and pale, but he doesn't have a fever." The girl was now acting shy and coquettish and the rest of them suddenly came closer.

"Did he eat or drink anything?"

"I'm right here, you know..." Furihata mumbled at his feet, suddenly annoyed by the fact that the girls stopped giving him any attention and focused only on the other boy. "I'm just a little dizzy from the heat. I had a bad sleep, didn't eat breakfast and didn't drink anything 's all."

"That's not good, you should take better care of yourself. I would be disappointed if you fainted at some match." Akashi slipped his hand and caught Kouki by his elbow. "C'mon, I'm taking you out for breakfast."

Suddenly one of the girls giggled, butting in on his whines of embarrassed protest.

"Can we go with you?"

Furihata stole a glance at Akashi and saw how his jaw muscles tensed, so he—with surprising easiness—said:

"Sorry, but we have a lot to catch up on. Thank you for taking care of me."

When they sighed with disappointment Kouki almost sighed with relief. They were nice and pretty but he'd felt pretty bad when they directed all of their attention to Akashi.

* * *

Seijuuro was pretty amused but was trying to hide it. Well, every time he remembered that Kouki was feeling unwell, his mood suddenly got worse but there was still the fact that the boy was jealous—even if he himself didn't know it. When the girls started to fawn over Seijuuro, Furihata was almost sulking and getting closer to him, which made him ridiculously happy. He took a few steps and realized the boy wasn't following him. Weird, he didn't look that sick... Seijuuro turned around and found Kouki looking at him with huge eyes and a massive blush that was making him look really... well, cute.

"You... I..." he was stuttering, obviously trying to find words. "Why didn't you tell me that I have to look somehow special?" he whined, finally.

Seijuuro frowned, not understanding. Furihata looked really nice in his plain, brown shirt and blue jeans. Just because Akashi spent an hour in front of his closet and finally settled with black trousers and a shirt with some paint on it didn't mean Kouki had to look just as good. Especially since he was enjoying the view, nonetheless.

"I'm not dressed in any special way. This is how I usually look outside of school. Come, I'm also a little hungry."

They found a nice café and ordered breakfast. Only when he dug into his bread did he realized that Furihata was silent all this time, looking freaked out.

"Is there something bothering you?"

The boy twitched and blinked, not looking straight at Seijuuro, but concentrating on his own tea.

"No... I just... um, I've never seen Kyoto and... Akashi-san... I don't feel at ease in your company..." Something squeezed painfully in Seijuuro's chest at this and Furihata's eyes got big and he looked at him. With fear in his eyes. "I didn't mean anything like feeling bad, like being bored or annoyed or something! It's just I'm a little embarrassed, you know. We're totally different and I don't even know what to say and when I say something I start to babble and I'm afraid I'm annoying you, so sorry about that! You're actually really nice company but I don't think we should... I mean, we're just too different and I just feel like an idiot while talking with you." He groaned and hid his face in hands. "I'll just shut up."

"You do that." He wasn't mad, not at all. More like... disappointed. "Just talk about what you want and stop worrying that I won't like it."

There was a whole lot of difference between wanting to be intimidating and being so intimidating that the feeling lasted when he didn't want it to.

But even if he said it, the atmosphere was very heavy and they spent most of the breakfast in silence. Even when they started walking through sports shops to find shoes, Kouki was looking more and more out of place.

"I can walk you back if you want to." He didn't know how and why but these words left his mouth and he found himself thinking that... he meant it.

They were in the sixth shop in a row—in the previous two, the only shoes he liked were not in his size—and Furihata seemed to be more and more uneasy, almost shrinking into himself. Seijuuro felt disappointed—he wanted to enjoy this day, but it was impossible.

"I..." Kouki looked at him and then sighed. "I'm sorry, I told you I'm not good company."

"Usually you talk more than this and I already said I'm getting annoyed by your insults on my choice of friends. What is really bothering you?"

For a moment he was sure that Furihata wouldn't answer, but then boy moved a little closer and dropped his voice.

"Why me? Is it some kind of punishment for your hand?"

* * *

He probably shouldn't say this for fear of angering Akashi, but it was the hurt on the Rakuzan captain's face that made him feel like utter shit. It wasn't even that he wasn't enjoying himself—it was more like he couldn't stop thinking why him, why not someone more interesting, why is he not trying to talk to him, why is he so nice, why and when is he going to kiss Kouki once again? The more he was thinking about it, the more he felt unsuited to be there and didn't want to open his stupid mouth and say something stupid—in which he failed, of course.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that," he mumbled.

"It's alright. I told you to say what you want." But Akashi's jaw was tense and Kouki felt extremely awkward. "It's not a punishment. I sincerely enjoy your company, just not the way you are now. Because it's not like you to act all meek."

Kouki felt his face getting warmer—it was the truth, he was putting himself down on purpose. He should just stop thinking and go with the flow—something he rarely did, but hey, it was like in basketball, right? Someone passes you the ball and you need to do something in a matter of seconds.

He inhaled deeply and let it out. Then he looked Akashi in the face and smiled shyly.

"Sorry, it won't happen again. I just had... something on my mind."

Akashi smirked, and started looking at shoes once again. He was acting so casually, Kouki didn't believe for a moment what he heard next.

"So as a punishment, since you seem to like this word, you're going to give me '_goodbye_' and '_welcome home_' kisses of your own volition for the next two weeks."

His cheeks were _boiling_ at this point.

"WHAT?!" he screamed and when all the other people in the shop looked at him, he calmed down a little and squeaked: "What?!"

The other's boy's smile got even more mean and the yellow eye glanced at him for a second, making his stomach flip.

"Oh, and you can add '_I'm sorry_' kisses to the list. Every time you feel like you need to apologize. Yes, that will do."

That was... All of this was so wrong, he was thinking while staring at those inviting lips. So wrong... And yet—after a quick look around the place—Kouki somehow found himself leaning in and before he knew it, his lips were on Akashi's—moving slightly, adding pressure. His head was light and he felt dizzy, every thought left him and Kouki felt the other boy trembling slightly and that made him whimper quietly. With horror—very far in the background—Furihata realized he had been waiting for this moment since he got off of the train. A hand that was small, but still larger than his own, gripped his arm and pulled him closer to a hard, hot body. His own hands snuck into soft, magenta hair, and started tugging at it lightly. A shiver ran through him when Akashi took control of the kiss and forced Furihata's head to bend a little. But the worst—or best—or worst part was when he felt a wet tongue sensually licking his lips. His instant reaction was to open his mouth for Akashi and he already felt a slick muscle slipping into him and his own tongue moved and...

And someone gasped at this moment, making him realize where they were. He pulled back, feeling light-headed and mortally embarrassed, when he saw some girls looking at them with eyes as huge as saucers. He looked at his feet, feeling utterly mortified, and mumbled in the general direction of Akashi:

"That was: '_I'm sorry for my actions today._'"

and then stormed out of the shop. That was... he just... Oh god. Furihata had never been this embarrassed in his life, even when he acted like a total idiot in the first minutes in the game with Kaijou in the Winter Cup. Sure, he'd kissed people before—only girls, actually—but never in a public place. He liked his private life being just that—private (even if he liked to show a cute girl off to his friends). And he never—EVER—lost control like that. He almost got hard. Just from a fucking kiss. With a man. With Akashi. Oh, this was wrong on so many levels he didn't know where to start!

"There is still one shop I'll try to go to. Maybe there they'll have something good."

He almost jumped when he heard that nice tone and when he looked at the boy—he found out that Akashi was smiling at him with something he couldn't quite name.

"I... I mean..."

There it was—that smirk that was making him even more flustered.

"Are you trying to... apologize?"

"NO! I mean... I... Never mind. Let's just go..." whined Kouki and sighed when Akashi chuckled, seemingly very amused.

They didn't find any good shoes in the next two shops but in the last one Rakuzan's, captain ordered his size of the pair he liked.

"Thank you for going with me. I know I'm picky."

"It's okay. For basketball players shoes are very important. Before I found ones that suited me just fine, I went to the other side of Tokyo, which is saying something. And being picky is not a bad thing."

"I never said it was, but I was friends with the pickiest person I know so I realize sometimes it can get annoying."

They were sitting on the grass under a tree in the nearby park. It was fuming hot and the little shadow the tree was giving was a true blessing for Kouki. He was positively wet and he only hoped he wouldn't start stinking. The only thing that was making him feel better was the fact that Akashi's shirt was also a little wet and he was wiping his forehead with a tissue every now and then.

"If you don't mind me asking... why did you start playing basketball?"

Akashi smiled calmly and shrugged.

"I wanted to do something that would require a lot of muscle work, since horse-riding is relaxing and good for leg muscles, but it can get annoying at times and I was already doing it outside of class. My..." Suddenly he grimaced and Kouki shivered. That was one hell of a scary look. "My home tutor suggested it and I started to like it after some time. Especially when I realized I have talent for it."

"Horse-riding?"

That sounded... hella noble. Akashi chuckled.

"Don't make such a face. It was just a way to spend time and horses are well-behaved—they go where I want, when I want, and at the pace that I set." Mismatched eyes looked at Kouki, once again with something he couldn't pinpoint. "I rarely let anything or anyone else control the pace. Ah, we better go. I don't like crowds and the cinema will be full as it is. No need to stand in the line too long."

"Exactly what movie will we be seeing?"

* * *

It was boring. So cliché and predictable that his jaw hurt from subtle yawning. Seijuuro looked at Kouki and smiled. The boy couldn't tear his eyes from the screen and—were those tears in his eyes?

Hour ago when he said to Furihata just what kind of movie they're going to he had the definitely pleasurable experience of being awkwardly kissed on the cheek. Right after mountains of protests, of course—that it's a girly movie, that it won't be very entertaining and Kouki wouldn't like to watch it, ever, but if Akashi wants to go there so much... Flustered Furihata was almost as cute as shy one.

The girl on the screen started weeping and Seijuuro was completely hypnotized by the way the other boy was biting his lower lip. In the shop, he was truly surprised by the "I'm sorry" kiss—any normal guy, after hearing such an out-of-place punishment, would have fled, but Kouki actually went with it and was doing so dutifully, even if he was avoiding Seijuuro's mouth. Nothing was strange about that—he also lost himself in that kiss and, truthfully, wanted a repeat. He never would have guessed being kissed without expecting it would be that pleasant. He wasn't a virgin, of course not. He'd had intercourse a few times with a couple of girls and two guys (which were kept in complete secret, since both of them were older sons of his father's business partners, and both of them were after successful omiai's), but he was never this excited from only a kiss. Truth was—before Kouki, Seijuuro actually disliked kissing. It was messy, tasted bad, and he didn't like someone's face being that close to his own. Furihata tasted sweet and a little salty, his hair was soft on Seijuuro's forehead, and even if it was messy—and their kiss from yesterday could only be described as that—it brought a completely new meaning to this word.

And what was truly making him pause for a moment was the second they walked to the cinema's lobby. There were only girls and couples there and a few lonely boys were there trying to flirt and pick up a girl. So when a few girls started looking their way he thought that he should take Kouki's hand—or even kiss him—to make everyone realize that they both were not interested. Which was strange for him and his need of having his private life being private. And he supposed Furihata was interested—a few times he showed him some girl (Furihata said "cute", but in his opinion, each and every one of them seemed "pretentious") and once even wondered about talking to one of them.

But now he was sitting arm to arm with Seijuuro at the back row, tears falling down and lips trembling with sadness. Akashi glanced at the screen—the main heroine was crying over some grave in a not very convincing way—and wondered how exactly Furihata had been hoping to go with a girl and not make a fool out of himself. Crying Kouki for Seijuuro was one of the cutest things he ever saw, but he was a hundred percent sure girls wouldn't think the same.

Suddenly, the screen went dark and there was dramatic, loud music playing from the speakers and Seijuuro knew this was his chance. Without thinking, he cupped Kouki's face and moved it forward, leaning in. The boy's lips were still trembling and his face was wet, but it wasn't bothering him. What was bothering him—if you can call it "bothering"—was the fact that Furihata closed his eyes, shakily drew in a breath and let himself be kissed without an ounce of resistance. He was shaking slightly and Seijuuro marveled in the feeling of slight tremors under his hand that slowly encircled a narrow waist and slid under a plain shirt. Kouki gasped—a sound that was for Seijuuro's ears only, thanks to the loud music—and at the same time, they both decided to go after what was previously interrupted. Akashi opened his mouth widely and his head spun a little when he realized Furihata was doing just the same and soon uncertain, warm tongue touched his own. It wasn't a slow, sensual kiss—he was too hungry for Kouki to let it be taken slowly. His tongue was wrapping itself over the other boy's, forcing him to respond, to melt under him, to surrender and take the pleasure. Slick muscles entwined and rubbed, while Seijuuro's hand was gently touching the warm, smooth skin on Kouki's back. The boy's breath was heavy and every once and then he mewled quietly right into Seijuuro's mouth, his body quivering, trying to lean into Akashi's. When they parted for a second—lips a little swollen, exhaling shakily—Seijuuro realized it wasn't just a game for him, even if he wanted it to be. With something painful swelling in his chest, he once again slipped his tongue inside Kouki's mouth and smirked when he was kissed back with a passion. His free hand grasped mousy hair in a fist and bent the head in an uncomfortable position, but one of absolute submission, that allowed Furihata to move only his tongue and left all the good work for Seijuuro. He was sucking on the slick muscle, moving his lips with a bruising force, loving every little sound the boy in his arms made.

A shaking, small hand caressed his cheek and Seijuuro growled, feeling warm and fuzzy inside—something new, fearful, and wonderful. It was a loving caress—feather-like, unsure, but with a purpose that made Akashi whimper. Kouki wanted to touch him just the same.

Suddenly loud music boomed and Furihata jumped up and started to look around with a startled expression, his eyes blinking when up to this point dark screen showed a beach in the middle of the day—all blindingly bright. Then scared eyes fell on him again and Seijuuro smirked, when he clearly saw the heavy blush on the boy's face and his unsure expression.

He got closer and whispered into Furihata's bright red ear:

"That was a thank you kiss..." he murmured, at the same time inhaling the musky smell of Kouki's sweat. It was a very arousing smell and he had to force himself to not lick the salty skin of his nape.

"W-w-what for?" was asked in baffled, unsteady voice.

"For looking damn cute while crying."

* * *

**A/N:** _And you know what's the best? Next chapter will hold even more smut! =^.^= Oooh, boy, I must say I love writing dirty moments. And it's still not as dirty as I like the most. But, on the other hand, the romance is going on, the bonding and things like that. _

_Now I only wait for the new episode! I'm so giddy! And I can't wait for the Shuutoku vs Seirin game!_

_Please, do review! I enjoy reading comments!_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**: _Well, hello again! This time it's a quite short chapter, but starts good, so I hope you will forgive me. The plot thickens! And once again we get a look into Akashi's family situation, which still isn't quite clear? Or so I hope._

* * *

It was probably the first time in ages that after turning off the light, Kouki wasn't afraid of the darkness, ghosts, his wardrobe and its doors, bloody screams of murder under his windows (a neighbor's cat who was playing fucking Romeo), or even the cold something he found in the bed, that turned out to be his small collection of medals.

And, like in the last few months, Akashi was on his mind. But not the scary Akashi. When he closed his eyes he clearly remembered the feeling of a strong hand on his naked waist, fingers teasing him and making his skin tingle. He could feel a hot mouth on his own and the entwining of slick tongues. His body vibrated with passion and want, making his cock strain and ache. It was exactly the same way he felt in the cinema and later when they said goodbye.

He had to admit—he was more than pleasantly surprised when the other boy told him what kind of movie they'd see. He supposed it was to be expected that he couldn't fool Akashi into saying it was someone else who wanted to see it. And, damn, was the movie good! He was feeling heartbroken right before they started kissing—he felt Marie's despair and hope, he wanted a happy ending for her, he wanted Jimmy to come back and marry her on the sand under the stars like they promised each other when they were five. He couldn't believe anything would heal the wound he had, but somehow Akashi's lips were able to do it.

With a whine of embarrassment Kouki hid his head in his pillow, fully ignoring how his hips were rubbing his erection against the sheets without his permission. He had clung to the other boy, he had to admit it. It was a glorious feeling—to give all of the control to Rakuzan's captain. To be ravished by him, kissed to the point of bruising and fondled under the shirt. And he loved it, loved it to the point when he caressed that beautiful face and wanted to say that it's okay to do more...

Oh, the worst thing was—it was _nothing_ compared to their goodbye.

Akashi was a good cook and the thing he did—some kind of meatballs with lots of vegetables and some strange kind of rice—was so tasty he was stuffing his cheeks like a hamster. But overall he felt strongly intimidated. His parent's house was rather small and had only one floor. Akashi's house was a full-blown old-fashioned mansion with its own garden and pond—a pond with fish!—and a whole wing only for himself. Although it was obvious he was using only two rooms—a bedroom and library. That didn't change the fact that Kouki felt so little among all of this, especially when he caught sour looks of the few maids they passed while walking with food to the bedroom. But he had to admit—he quite liked that room. It was spacious and very light—not as old-fashioned as the rest of the house. Actually it wasn't that different from Kouki's room at his parents', minus the quality of the stuff. They talked a little but he once again saw the obvious drift between them.

"You're quiet once again."

Furihata twitched and smiled apologetically.

"I have never been in such a... big house. I feel a little out of place."

"I apologize, I didn't know. I've never had anyone here." He snickered. "Well, Shintarou was here once but he was more concerned with the fact that my room was red at the time and apparently red was his unlucky color that day."

Kouki blinked, since he didn't understand.

"Um... okay?"

"Never mind, he's a little on the alien side. Oh, and it's kind of late..." Akashi smirked and looked at him in a way that made Kouki's pulse quicken. "There are two options—one is that I'll drive you to the station and around eleven pm you'll be at home. Second is that you'll stay here and in the morning I'll make someone drive you back and you won't miss school. So..." He cocked his head to the side and gave him the same smile that was in his contact photo on Kouki's phone. A smile that had much to do with Furihata's jerking off fantasies. "Are you staying?"

He was tempted, he had to admit. He briefly wondered how it would end if he stayed, but at the same time something was nagging him to reject the offer and never see Akashi again. So he decided to go mid-way.

"I'll go by train, if that's okay."

"Of course. Now, I'll go to see you tomorrow and I'll take my chemistry exam, since I failed two questions and..."

He was talking like nothing was amiss, but Kouki could see he was disappointed. Well, so was he. And then... At this point Furihata stopped pretending it wasn't arousing and kicked his pajama's pants down, took his cock in hand and started stroking it, relishing in their goodbye kiss.

It started very innocent—they were at the station, waiting for the train. Kouki was a little spooked since no one else was boarding and he was fidgeting the whole time.

"Kouki..." He looked to the back and saw Akashi with an expectant air around him. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Um... no, I don't think... oh, god, I forgot to take that glass out of your room to the kitchen!"

He had gone pale and his stomach once again was a bundle of nerves.

"That's not important. You forgot about the part of your punishment? About kissing me goodbye of your own volition."

He gulped—both with fear and sudden excitement—and made a step closer. He had no idea why he was going with it, but kissing Akashi was good and besides, for the other boy it was just a way of greeting... something normal. Something ugly rose in him at the thought that Rakuzan's captain was doing it with others and so his kiss was half-assed at best. Beautiful yellow and red eyes flashed angrily at him and before he knew it he was smashed into the wall.

"What was that?" was growled and—oh, all of the mortification—Kouki found himself more aroused than scared.

"A kiss."

"No, that was a peck. A very lousy peck. And I clearly said: a kiss." With every word Akashi's face was closer to his own and when their noses touched Furihata was already dizzy and his mind was telling him it's a good idea to do this...

So he stuck his tongue out and licked Akashi's lips, wondering if that salty taste was his imagination or... His thoughts were cut off when the other boy opened his mouth and sucked the tongue in, nipping at it with teeth, playing with it with his own slick muscle and only when Kouki's head moved forward—he wanted a full kiss, full mouth, Akashi's face so close, the smell and taste potent—Akashi granted his wish. He groaned loudly when their lips touched and his hands somehow ended between Rakuzan captain's shoulder blades, gripping the shirt. And Akashi...

Kouki was pumping his fist hard, sweating like mad and whimpering under his nose, while remembering this... No one ever did anything like that to him. No one. And he couldn't help but wonder why he never thought about it.

Akashi's hands—strong and merciless—cupped his ass and pressed Furihata to himself, pushing his leg between Kouki's thighs. The pressure on his balls and twitching cock was amazing. The other boy's legs were built with strong, hard muscles, so the friction he started to make—sliding Kouki up and down on his leg with hands cupping ass, manhandling him deliciously—was amazing.

He didn't even think it was wrong in any way. Hell, no. It was splendid, it was marvelous and he didn't want this to ever stop. Akashi's mouth was hot on his, their heavy breaths mixed, tongues dancing with each other and making the most erotic sounds he ever heard. And he was mewling, he knew this and couldn't stop it. When one particularly hard move of Akashi's leg made him feel pleasure on the verge of pain, Kouki broke the kiss and moaned loudly, not caring for where they were and even if—this place was empty. Then the hot mouth moved lower, peppering his chin with light kisses, occasional nips, but the moment a slick tongue moved over his neck, Furihata gasped, gripped Akashi's shirt more, and bent his head to the side. He wasn't even aware of the fact that only one of Akashi's hands was on his ass, since his hips were moving on their own, rubbing on hard muscles. He loved what the boy was doing to his neck—kissing, licking, biting and finding all the spots he wasn't aware of possessing. Kouki shivered and moaned when cool fingers sneaked under his shirt and teased the skin on his abdomen. One of his palms left Akashi's shirt and moved into magenta hair, grasping it and not letting this wonderful abuse on his neck end. His body arched into the touch, wanting more than fingers on naked skin. And he got it—a full warm hand, groping and caressing him, making him writhe and gasp. When one of the pads started teasing his navel he had to bite his lower lip to stop himself from saying something embarrassing, something dirty. But he could feel Akashi's smile on his neck when he was fingering the small hole in a strangely arousing way.

Now, laying in the bed and being seconds from climax, Kouki wondered briefly if this is how Akashi would've fingered his other hole if he hadn't listened to his own stupid brain and instead stayed the night. The thought made a few pearly drops of semen ooze out. Not yet, not yet, there was still the best part, the part that had never been done to him before...

Swift fingers stopped playing with his navel and started moving upwards, palming his ribs and making his head swirl with all the sensations. But nothing prepared him for the electric shock he got when slender thumb brushed over his nipple. Kouki never touched it in any sexual way, no one did that. But even if a part of him was thinking this shouldn't be pleasurable, the other part of him forgot about this when his bud was pinched, squeezed and then stroked. This combined with the hard leg between his thighs, the wet tongue and harsh teeth on his neck, and the overall smell of Akashi made him so hard he was suddenly aware that a few more strokes and he'd come.

Kouki pinched his nipple, remembering how precise Akashi's touches were and once again, he felt a surge of pleasure going through him. His body arched and with a low moan he came, dripping all over his hand and chanting Akashi's name, wanting him to touch him here, to kiss him, to embrace him...

It was really lucky that in the exact moment when Kouki opened his mouth to tell Akashi that he changed his mind and he was staying the night, the speakers made a sound and a voice told him that his train was coming. Furihata swiftly moved himself out of Rakuzan captain's arms and pressed his backpack over his still erect cock. The moment the train door opened he mumbled a half-assed "bye" and got in, finding the most secluded place to think about his own stupidity. Two hours of thinking made him realize he was fancying Akashi and that type of touching could be normal for the other boy, but it most definitely wasn't for him. Even if he was sure that even by Akashi's standard this wasn't just a friendly gesture anymore and he had no idea what this guy was thinking about all of this.

After cleaning himself off in the sink, Kouki sighed and banged his head against the wall. This was no good. He was crossing the line and he knew it. He shouldn't be jerking off to Akashi. He shouldn't let them kiss or touch like that. And most definitely he shouldn't let himself think that it was something more.

Akashi was a friend—a very strange friend, but a friend nonetheless. And that was it.

With renewed determination Kouki took his phone and typed short: "_This won't happen again, it was a mistake. I'm sorry._" and sent it to Rakuzan's captain. He could only hope he wouldn't anger him, even if it was a very cowardly tactic. Which didn't end well, since his phone vibrated and it was... an in-coming call.

"Y-y-yes?" he croaked out, his heart pounding like mad. Oh god, oh god, this is the moment he'll die.

"I called to apologize properly." Akashi's voice didn't sound angry. More like... amused? "I shouldn't have pinned you to the wall the way I did and I shouldn't kiss you the way I did in the cinema. It's a very lame excuse, but I haven't gotten laid in the last few months and apparently it was catching up with me in the most inappropriate of times. I hope this won't affect our relationship, though."

It hurt. Kouki had to bite his lips for a second, because it really hurt. Both the fact that it really didn't mean anything more—something he predicted, but hearing this was worse than he thought—and that he was used, like a substitute. Like something second or even third best.

"It's... it's okay. I don't know why I did it, really, but I shouldn't... besides I like Shimeno-kun and that was really wrong of me." Shimeno. He hadn't thought about her the whole day. Not even once. "Just... this can't happen again."

"That goes without saying." Why was he so sour only now? Kouki didn't have a clue about Akashi's mood swings. "Goodnight and see you tomorrow, Kouki."

"Yes, goodnight to you, as well."

Pressing the red button, Furihata buried his head in the pillow, trying to talk himself into thinking that it didn't hurt. He was just mad that he was being used, that's all. And disgusted with himself that he forgot about Shimeno.

Suddenly the thought struck him. Why was he sniveling like a five-year-old? He was over seventeen and when he enrolled into the basketball club he vowed to find himself a girlfriend. So that is what he should be doing, not spending his time kissing, laughing, and chatting with the most terrifying person he knew. He jumped up, turned the light on, and in a matter of minutes he was knocking on the door down the corridor, shivering only slightly (the light here was very dim and he had the feeling something was staring at him).

The door opened and a very sleepy-looking Shimeno appeared. He didn't even have the mind to look at her pretty chest clad in a tight shirt with thin straps.

"Furihata-kun? Is something wrong?"

"I like you!" he blurted out and when her eyes got big, he prayed to the gods for one thing in his life to actually go the way he wanted it to.

* * *

Seijuuro wasn't used to a rollercoaster like this. His emotional life was usually steady and very predictable. But this day proved to him that even he could be surprised. In the span of ten hours he was feeling more than before meeting Kouki in a few weeks. Not that it was that good of a change—since his third class in middle school and that ugly night he loathed surprises with vehemence. But this was... nice. Even if he knew that in the end what he did was wrong, too rushed, and would backfire.

Actually, he wanted it to backfire, to make Furihata realize that what they were doing was not friend-like action—and at the same time he wanted to put Kouki into a safe zone, to not freak him out, even if his want for him was making him impatient. It was a lame excuse, like he himself said, but he was sure it would make the boy feel better about all of it. Up until that phone call he didn't know just how much he fucked it up. He was prepared for Kouki to push him away, to even make all the kisses stop or even trying to break their contact. What he didn't want—didn't predict—was Furihata reminding himself he liked that girl. And that was... wrong. He didn't like it. It made his chest hot and heavy, just like those two years ago. It was the same ugly feeling, even if the actual action wasn't that bad.

But the worst thing was—he had no idea where it all would go and how he himself would react. This anxiety was making him restless and this is why he was sitting near the pond, watching over the fish, deep in thought, trying to think about all the possible scenarios. He wasn't a shogi prodigy for nothing. The worst thing he could think of—but at the same time, the least possible considering Kouki's natural cowardice—was if the boy would be scared of losing interest in girls and do something as stupid as confessing out of the blue and being accepted. In this case... Seijuuro wasn't sure what he would do. Every move he thought of would end with disaster. And the only option that would bound Kouki to him even more was definitely out of the question. He didn't like forcing anyone into intimacy, even if he knew they would consent in the end. Even if he didn't look or act like that, which was surprising when he heard about it. Because, seriously—who would like to fight the one he likes and probably hurt him in the process when all he wanted was to make the other person feel pleasure?

"Are you alright?" came a soft voice that made Seijuuro's mood get even worse. He looked up to see Kikune standing a few feet away, clad only in a loosely wrapped yukata. The man looked concerned.

"I was, until you came."

That ugly thing in his stomach got heavier. His initial reaction was to walk away, but he wasn't a coward.

"I heard you had a guest today."

He snorted.

"You didn't hear. You saw him yourself. I know you were standing behind the kitchen doors when I was busy making dinner."

"Well, I was interested. You've never invited anyone in since that boy with the glasses who was adamant on getting his lucky item back. But this one is different, more... normal. This is the same boy you're meeting with every day, right?" When Seijuuro didn't respond, Kikune sighed. "Don't shun me away, please."

"You did it yourself. What do you expect me to do now? Confess all my troubles to you, like I did in the past?" He smiled sinisterly. "Are you a complete idiot?"

The man seated himself some distance from Seijuuro and, after smoothing out his yukata, he spoke, not looking at him. Somehow, he noticed that Kikune's hair was freshly washed, the black strands placed over the elegant forehead.

"No, but I suppose you need someone to talk to. That boy seems to be important to you and I know better than anyone just how big of a mistake you can make when you want something very much."

"He's just a toy," he hissed out, at the same time knowing it's a lie.

"I'm not an idiot, Seijuuro-kun. You can't lie to me."

"But you surely can lie to me. I won't talk to you about this. It's my business, even if I destroy it. So stop it."

The last line was growled out and Kikune realized that one more word and he would walk away. There was no one else who could understand him like this man, but Seijuuro refused to have anything to do with someone who used him in the worst way possible—gaining a kid's trust and then tossing him aside, when he got what he wanted.

They were sitting in a silence that once was comfortable, but now the atmosphere was... poisonous. Everything about Kikune was making Seijuuro sick—his beautiful face, slender figure, calm smile, strikingly blue eyes, air of gentle confidence, and the fact that he could probably read Akashi like an open book.

"Why the fuck do you care?" he spit out.

"I always care about you, always have and always will. It's as simple as that."

That did it. He stood up and looked at the man in a way that made him back away slightly. Seijuuro was feeling so enraged it was making his skin tingle.

"You should have at least an ounce of shame to not look so innocent while lying like that. You disgust me."

"I know."

There was something unnerving in that smile, which was making him go on about it even more. Kikune was probably the only person that could make him lose himself like that in the worst part of his personality. He hated, truly hated, that dark feeling, that ugly something that made him feel so alive while saying hurtful things. That part of him that wanted to see tears and blood and only then would it be satisfied. He hated it, yet every word was making him feel so alive...

"You live here, under the same roof as I, knowing how shameful you are. How ugly, deep inside. You're like a rotten apple—all beautiful outside and full of worms inside. I feel sick just looking at you. And I truly await a day you go away. Or disappear! OR JUST FUCKING DIE!" he screamed and heard a gasp. There standing behind him was his father. He couldn't believe he'd been caught while acting like a total brat.

"Seijuuro, apologize to Airi right now!" growled the man and Seijuuro only laughed hysterically, making the older man look at him with surprise. "This is not how I raised you, Seijuuro. You need to be calm in order to fit into the Akashi family. How many times do I have to say it to you? Now, apologize!"

"Gods, I hate you so much..." he whispered, so only Kikune could hear him. Kikune who was sitting there immovable, not taking the loving smile off of his face fore even a second. Feeling bile rising in his throat he said a short: "I'm sorry" and walked away, bowing to his father in the process.

When he pulled the cover over himself the only thing he was praying for was for Kouki to not back away from him too much. And if he would... then for his leg to heal as fast as possible, so he could forget all about this in basketball.

* * *

**A/N:** _So… What do you think will happen now? ^.^ Sadly, next chapter will be quite short, as well, but full of important moments!_

_Reviews will be appreciated, as always! (seriously, I didn't knew that akafuri has such a huge fanbase!) _

_Btw. If you're looking for a good anime this season (KnB of course excluded – it's amazing on its own) try Diamond no Ace! I'm completely in love with this and damn, the manga is actually much, much better than anime – great art, hilarious moments, lots of feelings and – for those who're like me and like to search for pairings – a lot of shipable moments!_


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** _This one will be short, but I suppose at the end you'll be more than glad that I didn't decide to go at it a little longer. I decided to post it a day before the episode 3, because I'll be out for a day and I won't lie – I'm greedy for your comments and opinions ^.^_

_On with the story!_

* * *

"You look like total shit."

Kouki looked up at Kawahara and smiled meekly.

"I didn't get much sleep, sorry. Ahhhh, please tell me this is our history essay you're holding in your hand!"

"It is, but I wonder if we really should give this in. It's... lame."

"It's the best we could do..." he mumbled and then yawned. "I hate Monday's."

"Same here, man, same here. So, what was keeping you up at night?"

Thoughts about my own stupidity—was what he was thinking, but aloud he said:

"Just stuff about my girlfriend."

Kawahara's jaw dropped.

"You have a girlfriend?! Is this the person you were with yesterday?"

"No! I was visiting a friend! I... confessed to Shimeno-kun and she accepted me."

He was very surprised when she said that she never thought about him in such a way, but she didn't mind testing it out, since he was very nice and handsome—that was a first. His friend hummed.

"For a guy who got to date the girl he's pining for over half a year you don't look too happy."

And that was his problem. He should be happy—and some part of him was—but at the same time he felt like he was doing something wrong, like he was being unfair to Shimeno.

"Well, I'm still in shock, I suppose!" He laughed, but knew it was a little pushed. "She's really cute and I didn't think she would go out with someone like me!"

"Why? You're a cool guy and few of the girls think you're cute."

His face got all red when he remembered a husky whisper right into his ear telling him he was _damn cute while crying_.

"I... I'm not... I mean... shit," he cursed and ruffled his hair. "This is getting ridiculous! I like Shimeno-kun, she's the cutest being in the world and I _am_ going to make her happy!"

Kawahara blinked and backed away a little.

"Er... yeah, sure, mate. Just don't give her this haunted look or she'll run away screaming." When Furihata only whined and buried his head in hands, wondering how his life turned this way, his friend sighed. "What's going on with you lately? Every day you're going back home like you're walking to execution grounds, in practice you're not as focused as you used to be, and now, suddenly and completely out of the blue, you confess to a girl you've sworn to never confess to? Have you forgotten about her crush on the guy you're door to door with?"

At this moment something cold and ugly formed in his chest.

"I... I forgot. Oh, _shit_. I forgot about it!" he hissed out, feeling like the biggest idiot in the whole universe. "I need to explain it to her, that it was because I didn't want to feel like I'm being played with... no, wait. That will hurt her. But I'll tell her it's a mistake and that I'm sorry and that it was just a stupid move and I know about her crush and I'll tell her about my problem! I'm sure she'll understand! I like her, I really do, but I also... I mean, you understand me, right, Kawahara-kun?!"

The boy was looking at him with huge eyes.

"Actually, no, I don't. You were babbling and not making any sense whatsoever. Who's playing with you?"

He opened his mouth to say it was Akashi—obviously—but then realized he couldn't. What would he say? That he had the most mind-blowing sexual experience of his life with the creepiest person under the sun? With a boy, to boot? And that he actually liked it and wouldn't mind a repeat? And that he felt like crying after their talk on the phone? But he really was hetero and liked girls?

"I... never mind, just someone who I should not meet with... Let's change the topic, okay?" He laughed hysterically, wondering just how he got himself into this. He was sure Oomegari also liked Shimeno so... He was the worst person in the world. He had to do something about this.

He just had to.

* * *

"Are you alright, Sei-chan?"

The worrisome voice of Reo caught Seijuuro when he was picking up a book in the library. Two hours by train could get boring if one didn't have anything to do.

"Of course, I am. How is your knee? I heard you strained it."

The tall man smiled a little.

"Nah, I just put too much force in my jumps. I have this evening free, I need to go easy right now."

"Try to remember that summer play-offs are in a month. You can't start slacking."

"Says a person who wasn't in training a whole week now." Seijuuro shot him an angry look, but Reo was now on a mission and nothing could sway him. "But mind telling me what's wrong with you? You're pale, more than ever, that is, and I can see shadows under your eyes. Did someone make you cry?"

"That would end with red under the eyes, so no. I just couldn't sleep. My leg still hurts, sometimes more than normal."

Truth was—he wanted to sleep, he truly did. He was lying on his futon, with closed eyes, fully intent on getting some sleep. Problem was—his mind wouldn't let him have peace. Different scenarios of what will happen when he'd go and meet Kouki were rushed into his brain, making him feel quite... panicked, he supposed. Because he had no idea how he should act. Being nice or calm? Pushing him in or out? Saying this or saying that?

It was a first for him—to be so anxious over someone. But Kikune was right—the more he wanted to do something right, the worse he actually did. One should just take one look at the way he was treating his ex-teammates—he really liked them all and tried to convey his feeling somehow, taking care of them. It ended with all of them hating, fearing, and respecting him at the same time. But not liking. Well... He would be lying if he said he didn't like the fact that they feared him, but he wanted to use this fear as a motivational thing.

"Sei-chan, I have day off, maybe we'll go somewhere together? There is that new tea shop with pretty waiters, I wouldn't mind going and looking at them..."

One sigh later, Seijuuro smiled.

"Sorry, not today, I already have plans."

"Oooh, is that this girl you went to the cinema with?"

"I have not."

"You asked about this movie and I saw you booking two tickets. Surely you didn't take your father to a chick flick."

"I wouldn't do it."

"But you had to go with someone!"

And this is how the next quarter looked—Reo trying to get a clue as to who he was out with and Seijuuro not saying anything besides variations of "I did not". Which made him slightly irritated.

His mood had gotten worse when an hour before his stop, a loud group of middle schoolers boarded and took a seat on the other side of the train but were so loud his nerves were tingling. But he stopped himself from going to them and telling them to shut the fuck up, because he knew the feeling that was right now swelling in his chest—fury, wanting to hurt something or someone—something that was inside of him since last night. He was getting violent and knew it.

Before going to Kouki's house he spend over half an hour under a tree in a nearby park practicing deep breaths. Right then he only trusted himself enough to go and act like a complete nutter. Despite feeling nervous and a little anxious he was also getting happier with every step—somehow Furihata had a really calming effect on him and his babbling was the most pleasant thing he heard lately. With a newfound energy Seijuuro knocked on the door and smiled when Kouki's face appeared.

"Ah, um... Akashi-san, hello... I wasn't sure if you were going to come... I mean... I'll take your bag, okay? I made vegetables for dinner if that's okay with you."

"It's alright." His stomach suddenly growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten much since yesterday's dinner. "I'm famished, actually."

Yes. This was it. When Kouki smiled at him without even a trace of fear, all of Seijuuro's problems disappeared. Especially when he felt those lips on the cheek.

"We'll stick with it, okay? Oh, and..."

But he never said what he wanted because someone walked out of his bathroom. Seijuuro felt his blood run cold. The girl was short, bosom, and quite cute, but he hated her on the spot—in his eyes her hairdo was ridiculous and childish, make-up too pink and her frilly shirt was obscenely stretched over her breasts. He hated her even more because despite being in Kouki's apartment she looked at Seijuuro, blushed and looked to the side, then peeked once again and smiled.

"Hello, Akashi-san. I'm Shimeno Asami. You must be surprised I'm here but, well, since yesterday I'm going out with Furihata-kun and since you're his friend I wanted to meet you. I heard you're good in history so..."

What happened later was one big blur for Seijuuro. When he came to, he found himself laying on the car seat and crying like he hadn't since that nightmarish night two years ago.

* * *

There were some really shitty days in Kouki's life but none of it was even close to what happened today. Well, maybe being totally crushed by Touou was a close second, but even that was far away. And this was supposed to be his happy day—getting to spend it with his long-time crush now turned girlfriend and with a person he truly liked, despite all the odds. But instead he was depressed like never before.

After parting and a very chaste kiss, Shimeno said goodnight and now Kouki was sitting in front of his table, looking at the completely untouched food on one of the platters.

When he opened the door his first thought was that Akashi had some serious problem—he was very pale and there was some tension in his whole posture, nothing like he'd ever seen him before. But it soon disappeared and he thought it was just his imagination, nothing more. Seeing the other boy at ease he even ignored the strange flip-flop his stomach made when he kissed Akashi as a welcome. He couldn't even convince himself he didn't feel just how good Akashi smelled. And that he didn't see the way they leaned into each other like on instinct.

But he clearly saw the betrayal in those heterochromatic eyes when Shimeno said she was Kouki's girlfriend. Akashi's face fell for a second—his mouth opened, brows scrunched as in pain and those eyes... Furihata was used to seeing those beautiful red and golden irises look at him with coolness or maybe heat, but never in a way that made Kouki feel like crying. He never dreamed—never even thought about it!—that Akashi could look so vulnerable, like at this moment he'd received one blow too much to bear, a blow from the side he didn't expect. And that it was delivered by him made Kouki feel... disgusted, worried, and panicked at the same time.

The whole evening was a complete disaster—he was babbling the whole time, a few times receiving strange looks from Shimeno, Akashi stared with a blank look at the history sheets the girl was showing him, not saying a word. Now that Furihata thought about it, the boy didn't utter even a word since he came in, until he suddenly stood up, said a short "goodnight" and didn't even wait for the goodbye kiss. The only highlight was Shimeno and her sweet personality—she wasn't put off by Rakuzan captain's silence and even stated that Akashi was interesting and quite dashing. Something that Kouki could only nod to in agreement, not even bothering to say that the boy wasn't himself.

With a heavily beating heart he looked at his phone and opened the contact list. Once again his whole body started getting hot when he saw the look Akashi was giving him in the picture—with a slight smile, half-lidded eyes, and head cocked to the side, Rakuzan's captain looked seductive and predatory at the same time. Just the way he behaved at that train station.

Without consulting the decision with his brain, Kouki's thumb pressed the green button and when he realized what he was doing he wanted to disconnect, but he saw that Akashi already was on the line.

"Um... hi..." He wanted to slap himself. Good beginning, really.

"Is there anything important?"

Something in that tone made Kouki's blood run cold. Oh, this wasn't good.

"I just wanted to know if you're alright. You looked strange."

"..."

"Akashi-san?"

"It's none of your business, Furihata-kun. I would appreciate if you stopped sticking your nose in things that don't concern you."

He almost dropped the phone with shock and fear. Akashi's tone was full of venom and threat. With something akin to hysteria, he realized that he was called by his surname.

"I... I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Really!" His voice suddenly got high-pitched. "Please just... I..."

There was a sigh on the other side of the phone.

"Stop apologizing, it makes me mad."

"Is it something I did? Or said? I know I babble, but yesterday everything was fine, awkward, but fine and..."

"And stop talking. Just... let it go."

Suddenly Kouki found himself wiping tears from his eyes—he was both frightened and sad.

"Are you... are you coming tomorrow?"

"No."

Something squeezed his insides, making it hard to breathe and every gulp of air hurt. He was feeling miserable and just wanted to do something, to just say...

"But... Did I... I mean... Akashi-san, please, don't! I'll apologize for whatever I've done!"

Funny, a few days ago he would gladly accept Akashi's rebuff and even have a small party about getting rid of him. But not like that. Something was telling him that if he let him go now, he wouldn't have a second chance to see him. And he wanted that. He wanted to see that smiling, witty boy with a beautiful chuckle and the most gorgeous eyes he had ever seen.

"Please..." When he realized he was sniffling into the phone, he put a hand over his mouth, to stop himself, but sobs were coming out of him and he shook while crying. "Please don't go..."

There was a long silence, so long he was sure that all was lost and that Akashi had disconnected, but then he heard soft and—sad?—voice:

"I'll come on Wednesday. I need to take care of something tomorrow." Then in the softest of voices, that only heightened Furihata's tremors and tears, he added: "Don't cry, Kouki. It wasn't your fault."

But even so he somehow supposed it was. He just didn't know why.

* * *

**A/N:** ..._I'm gonna be hated, am I right? See? Told ya' that you'll be happy I didn't decide to go at it a little longer. In first draw I actually wanted to write the whole evening with three of them in one room, everything from Akashi's POV, but decided against it – even thinking about it hurt._

_BUT to make you feel better – in next chapter we'll visit Shuutoku!_

_Please, do review! (just don't swear too much xD)_


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** _Like I promised – we're visiting Shuutoku! This chapter is longer, since I decided to not post short ones and I only can hope that the parts that I choose to throw in every chapter won't take the pleasure of reading._

* * *

Shuutoku's building was old and worn-out but Seijuuro had to admit it looked nice. He was waiting at the gate and it was getting annoying—practice should have ended, so why was no one coming out? He sighed and leaned against the wall. He felt drained and even though there was some faint amusement in him at the thought that Kouki wanted him back so much, there was that huge pain every time he remembered that girl and her words. His girlfriend. Furihata was taken which meant Seijuuro should step aside. His imagination showed Kouki laughing with her, cooking for her, touching, kissing... Anger and jealousy appeared within him and he didn't want to think of why in the span of a week his world had turned upside down.

He growled and looked at his watch—is no one at the school at this hour? It was still relatively early. Well, he'll ask the first person he sees about Takao.

As if on cue, Shuutoku's coach passed the gate with a stack of papers under one arm, reading what was written on the sheet of paper he was holding in his free hand and muttering something about half-witted cretins who couldn't even realize that past tense and present tense were two different things.

Seijuuro cleared his throat and with a little smile watched the man almost jump before looking at him with deep, black eyes.

"Good evening."

"Ah, good evening, um... Akashi. If you're waiting for Midorima he's still inside with Takao." Nakatani was looking at him with something akin to suspiciousness, speaking slowly, weighing his every word. Seijuuro supposed many people could think that man was just slow, but there was wisdom behind his actions. To not say too much but to sense his opponents agenda. "I don't want any fight with our ace, is that clear?"

"I have no intention of hurting Shintarou."

"No? That would be something new," he muttered lazily and shrugged. "No punching Takao, either."

"That would be harder."

Nakatani smiled crookily.

"Figures."

"Could you point me to the gym?"

Once again a long pause.

"No. I don't trust you enough. And they'll be here shortly since I already closed it." At Seijuuro's surprised look the man shrugged. "Once in a while, they need a shorter practice."

Akashi was going to say that it wasn't that good when a distant deep and curt voice behind him shouted:

"Yes, I got you! Where have you been all this time, Masaaki-san?"

If he wasn't feeling so depressed he would laugh. That very composed, very indifferent man suddenly jumped up, his cheeks flushed and he looked around with a panic, like looking for a way to run away.

"Shit! I thought I was faster..." Then he looked at Seijuuro and sighed with defeat. And muttered so low that Seijuuro barely heard him—although he supposed he wasn't meant to. "Never again to stop and talk with anyone."

Only when he heard steps did he look at the person who startled the poor coach. He knew that guy—he played against him last year. Ootsubo Taisuke. Good player, well above the norm—sometimes Akashi wondered why he wasn't included in the Uncrowned Generals lot. He was definitely on par with Eikichi.

"Oh, Akashi, right? Hello." It was very brief greeting, before he concentrated on the older man, who was suddenly very interested in the school's plate on the wall. But his whole body screamed tension and will to run as long as his legs would carry him. Which was pretty long, Seijuuro supposed. "Were you trying to run away, again?"

For a moment, he wondered if he should step away, but since that little shit Takao wasn't going to come out in the near future (all alone in a changing room with his boyfriend? He was probably on his knees right now and nowhere near ending it), he could at least enjoy the show in front of him, especially since both men apparently forgot about him.

"I'm not running anywhere, especially not because of you."

"Then why haven't I been able to catch you in the last three weeks? And don't give me the lame excuse of giving them a little time off, hence ending practice on hectic hours."

"Then how did you know today..."

"Takao texted me."

Nakatani's eye twitched and Seijuuro was pretty sure that if he _did_ beat that idiot his coach would be perfectly fine with it. The older man sighed with annoyance and rubbed his temple with free hand.

"Alright, Ootsubo, you win."

"Really?" That guy's brilliant—and quite shocked—smile looked like someone handed him a star that could dim in every moment. His huge hands twitched and he moved closer to Nakatani, who sharply looked up at him with a somber face. And suddenly his voice lost all of the laziness—it was all heated and angry.

"Yes. My answer is short—no, I don't want to. It was a drunken mistake and you should get it out of your childish head. Stop thinking about it, stop romanticizing it and take it for what it was—two drunk idiots who didn't get laid in some time. Stop stalking me or I _will_ pull a formal complaint at the police station! Go and find someone your fucking age and leave me alone! I won't be toyed with by anyone! I'm far too old for this!"

Ootsubo's jaw clenched and suddenly he gripped Nakatani's elbow and jerked him forward. With an amused stare, Seijuuro looked at all of the things that had fallen on the ground. The wind would probably blow away many of the students' essays. He briefly wondered if they remembered that they were still at the school's gate and that if anyone walked through it, they would see them. Judging by the panicked look of Nakatani's eyes, fully focused on his ex-student's face and massive blush, he'd completely forgotten about it, so the only possible source of reason was off. There was no hope in betting on Ootsubo—the moment he appeared and saw the older man, a meteor could land on the school killing everyone and he wouldn't as much as glance that way.

"You want me to leave?" He growled in a way that had given even Seijuuro shivers, not to mention Nakatani, whose eyelids fluttered. "Fine! I'll leave and get it out of my _childish_ head, if you want it. But I'll be back in the next few years when I'll stop being too fucking young! And then I won't let you use age as an argument, so you'd better prepare yourself for that, Masaaki-san." Then he leaned closer and whispered something Seijuuro didn't hear but it made Nakatani's eyes heavy-lidded.

"But it'll be last time" he said in a weak voice, wrenching himself free and moved to pick up all the stuff but a large hand stopped him.

"Leave it. I'll do it." Then Ootsubo crouched and started gathering all the papers. Suddenly he looked up—this time his face was flushed. "You know I'm not stalking you, right? I only waited by the school gate, hoping to catch you. I would never... Dunno, like go and sit under your door. And I'm really sorry for manhandling you like that. I shouldn't."

"That's surely true. And I know you wouldn't." Then Nakatani looked at Akashi and cleared his throat, suddenly all business-like. "You didn't hear and see anything, boy."

He pondered for a moment—this could be good blackmailing material, but he supposed he didn't have any way of using it on this man. So he only shrugged.

"I don't care."

When they walked away Akashi snickered. Shuutoku's coach could say whatever he wanted, but it was obvious that when Ootsubo would be back—and he would be, that was as sure as the sun rising in the east—he would not be putting up much of a fight before submitting.

He didn't want to think about his own lack of someone who would care for him that much, so he started walking in the general direction of the gym. He could just as well embarrass Shintarou speechless and then start with his revenge. His body shook with rage when he remembered what Takao did to him.

It was right after he caught them kissing in a lone corridor. Shintarou—all red, looking mortified to death, was so stiff it was a miracle that not even one vein popped in his head. But he still tried to act like his fingers weren't in Takao's pants just seconds ago.

"Well... who would have thought..." Seijuuro smiled sinisterly at Takao, fully well knowing how he looked. Surprisingly the boy didn't as much as flinch. "Aren't you brave?"

Takao snickered and waved his hand.

"No, but damn, that's embarrassing! I was sure no one would see!" He patted Shintarou on the arm. "Relax, Shin-chan and breathe!"

"Shut up," was hissed out. Shintarou propped his glasses on his nose in a supposedly natural matter and then nodded at Seijuuro. "It was nice to see you, Akashi. Come on, Takao, we're going back."

"You better look after yourself, Shintarou."

The black-haired boy halted when he heard that and leveled with Akashi. Suddenly he looped an arm around the magenta-haired boy shoulders.

"Jealous?" he chuckled darkly and then kissed Seijuuro on the cheek. "Here, have some substitute of affection, your royal highness. And keep your paws off my Shin-chan!"

And then laughing like madman he caught up with his partner, leaving an absolutely furious Seijuuro behind. Lately, he was starting to think that it was for the best that he didn't decide to take revenge immediately, because he was close to snapping and he promised to himself that he wouldn't do this, not anymore. Since his Teikou days, when his psycho behavior started, he knew that he could easily succumb to anger and hatred when under too much pressure. And it took him over a year and half and a huge failure to win in finals to get out of this state.

But Takao was very close to making him snap. His speech insulted him on so many levels—both the impudent kiss and suggestion that he had some kind of crush on Shintarou (in his very personal opinion it was close to a miracle that someone who knew Midorima this well was able to like him romantically). But what stung him the most was that "substitute of affection" thrown right at his face. Seijuuro didn't need any type of affection—he had sex when he wanted it and he was doted on by his idiotic teammates, so he had everything he could wish for. He didn't want to be pitied on by... by anyone, no matter what. His life was okay, he didn't have everything he wanted but he was content, even if he occasionally felt some pang of regret—like at the sight of Ootsubo carrying Nakatani's stuff and smiling at the sour man with a tender and longing look in his eyes. But he supposed that feeling something like this was normal, so he just shrugged it off, never thinking too much about it.

Something that changed after the next three minutes.

At first he heard shouting—a very well-known, annoyed shouting—and then laughter, which made his blood pressure rise. For a moment, he entertained the idea of coming between them and saying the one thing that would surely wound Takao to no end, but when he heard what they're talking about he stopped right around the corner of one of the corridors.

"This is not funny, Takao!"

"Nope, but definitely exciting! Next time let's use showers!"

"Anyone could walk in and... and... see!"

"What, are you ashamed of me, Shin-chan?"

Well, Seijuuro supposed that he didn't have to step in and try to break them up, since Shintarou would do it by himself. His devotion and loyalty to his parents was almost legendary. And he remembered clearly the day when Midorima said that he would be having omiai right after finishing high school, with "_A nice and pretty girl, daughter of my father's closest business partner, and I would agree even if she wasn't so beautiful. The only thing they want from me is to go through these years before the engagement without any scandal or bad opinion, because only then they'll break it off completely and stop funding my father_" like he himself said. Being caught with another boy would definitely fall under the "scandal and bad opinion" part, besides he supposed that Midorima was just experimenting or just going along with the only person who would like to have to do anything with him.

This is why the next sputtered words he overheard shocked him to the core.

"Of course not, don't be stupid. I just want to tell my parents when I'm out of high school with the prospect of being able to live alone and pay for myself, since I wouldn't put it past them to kick me out for breaking off the promise of engagement, which will end with business catastrophe."

At that moment, they were passing Seijuuro's corridor and he saw just how red Shintarou was—and the way he was examining the floor while walking told him more than his words. He was serious. Absolutely serious.

Midorima didn't see him, but Takao surely did. His eyes widened for a moment, but then something strange appeared on his face and in the next moment he was hanging on Shintarou's arm and laughing.

"I'm reaaaally happy that I worked up the courage to confess to you, Shin-chan! Otherwise I would have spent the next few years killing myself with what ifs!"

"Tone it down!" hissed the bespectacled boy and then sighed. With wide eyes, Seijuuro looked on as the tall boy leaned down and softly kissed the black mop of hair and then mumbled, almost inaudible: "But I must say I'm not unhappy."

He had no idea how long he was standing in that corridor but his chest hurt. Why was he alone? Why did no one care enough for him to just risk and start pursuing him? Why did no one get past his somewhat intimidating personality and just... be around him? Or trying to find him three weeks straight even if he knows he's running away? Or just... wants him around. And then it hit him.

Kouki wanted him around. Wanted it to the point of tears. And maybe—maybe—in this relationship, it was Seijuuro who was meant to be the chasing one. He'd already forgotten about his initial plan of having fun and getting revenge on Seirin at the same time. Right now, he wanted Furihata for himself, exclusively, as long as he could.

Without thinking, he started running. On his way, he passed the shocked idiot duo—Shintarou called out to him, but he didn't have time for that—and started running even faster. If he was correct, he only had a few minutes to board a train or he wouldn't make it in time. When the slightly out of breath Seijuuro seated himself in a quiet part of the train he pulled out his cell.

'_I'm going to your place now, if you're there_.'

The reply was almost instant.

'_I am! I'll be waiting._'

Sometime later, with a pounding heart, he knocked on Kouki's door and waited. This time he wanted to act without a plan—sure, he'd thought of hundreds of plans but decided to just do what he felt like.

When Kouki—hair more tousled than ever, eyes huge and scared, looking both wary and happy—let him in Seijuuro felt something warm swell in his chest. Without thinking his hands slid into mousy-colored hair and his lips pressed on Kouki's in a light, heart-wrenching kiss, that made both of them gasp. He was almost shaking with excitement and anxiety, his hands lightly scraping the hot skin under the hair, mouth slightly open—closing over Furihata's upper lip and then lower one, sucking lightly, nibbling it with teeth and tongue, making Kouki shiver and moan. When he felt a slick tongue slipping between his lips, Seijuuro moved back gently.

Heterochromatic eyes locked with brown ones and suddenly he found himself saying:

"I like you, Kouki."

* * *

His breath was hitched and he had a hard time concentrating on the words that just left Akashi's mouth. Gods, kissing him was amazing, so much better than kissing Shimeno. And he was gorgeous.

"I like you, too," left his mouth because, well, that was the truth. He liked Rakuzan's captain, he was a good friend. And that kissing business... well, just a friendly thing and this was the version he was sticking to. He wanted more. But when he leaned in Furihata's lips didn't meet those full, tasty ones but a gently pressing finger. He had to crush down the urge to lick at the hard pad.

"I'm sorry, I said it too lightly and caused a misunderstanding. I love you, Kouki, and would like to go out with you."

He wanted to say that "that's nice" and get back to kissing but then he realized just what exactly had come out from Akashi's mouth.

"You... you what?" He almost slapped himself, fearing that he just chased the other away. But Akashi smiled.

"I said I love you—or rather, I think I do—but I'm sure I would like to go out with you."

Kouki took two steps back and felt like all the blood left his face.

"B-b-but... you're... we're... guys! Both of us!"

"Is that a problem?"

"Of course it is! It's not normal!"

"Quite the contrary, I believe that liking someone is just that—liking someone, no matter the gender. Besides, you do enjoy kissing me, right?"

Okay, blood came up once again.

"I do but... but I like Shimeno-kun in a romantic way!"

Some shadow went through Akashi's face but soon disappeared.

"I don't doubt it. I just want you to know about my feelings and that I'll be waiting for your reply." Kouki opened his mouth to say there was no chance in hell he'd agree but Akashi shut him up by shaking his head. "Just think about it, let it sit for a few days or as long as you need. In the meantime..." he whispered, moving closer and trapping Kouki between the wall and himself. "I'll try to convince you that being with boy is normal and pleasant."

A shiver went through Furihata's body at the heat in Akashi's voice. His hands itched to touch, lips to kiss... Maybe he _was_ interested? Now this thought was sobering.

"Um... we shouldn't. Sorry, really sorry, but..."

"Stop apologizing."

"But...!"

Akashi smiled sadly.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"Yes, I mean no, that is..." Oh god, now he was going to die.

Warm fingers touched his cheek and he had a fleeting urge to lean into that hand. The boy's face was serious.

"Kouki, I won't hurt you. And I want you to believe that. Say what you want, even if you think I won't like it. If I don't like it, then it's my problem to deal with, not yours. I don't want a puppet." He smiled somewhat sourly. "At least not anymore."

Something stung inside of Furihata when he saw that forced grin and he leaned in, completely forgetting that he himself said it was a wrong idea. Their lips were a breath away, he could already feel the tension of Akashi's body, could smell him and almost taste him, so close, so good... His mouth opened, intending to kiss deep and sensual when a sharp knock on the door made him realize just what he almost did.

Akashi's amused smile told him that the boy knew just how close they were and the horrified Kouki knew that this situation was more complicated than he thought.

"Furihata-kun, are you there?" asked an angry, male voice and Kouki winced.

"Yeah, coming!"

* * *

Seijuuro was close, so close, to cheering. For the first time outside of the court and shogi he did something impulsive and it worked out well. Well? It was _perfect_.

With mild interest he looked at the person coming inside—at this point, that Shimeno could walk in and he would be perfectly at peace with the world. Sooner or later, Kouki would be his, he knew it.

The boy was a little taller than Seijuuro but much broader and quite handsome—in some strange way he reminded him of Daiki, all angry and wild.

"Why did you do that?!"

Ah, that must be, what was his name, Oomegari? The one that liked the same girl as Furihata. This could go well for him, if both acted like he thought.

Kouki looked ill—his brow was furrowed, face pale, and he was sweating profoundly. Quite the coward, even in normal confrontation.

"I... I just... It was something in the moment... And... I forgot you like her, Oomegari-kun, I'm sorry." He laughed a little hysterically. "I never thought she would agree! But she doesn't like me like that yet, so don't worry!"

"Don't worry? Don't worry! Do you hear yourself, Furihata?! You're going out with her, how can I not worry! We were talking about it some time ago and I thought..." His fists twisted violently. "I thought we were friends and we had agreement. Why did you break it? I believe you had some serious reason, you better have one!"

Yes, this was the moment he was waiting for. Kouki glanced nervously his way and Seijuuro couldn't stop himself.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I need to go the toilet. It was a long way." He smiled apologetically and had gone into the flat, purposely to the bathroom. But he had gone back, trying to be as quiet as he could.

"...this is why?" Damn, he missed whole explanation? Oomegari's voice was incredulous. "Just because you freaked out over a few kisses with someone?"

So it was that. As much as he loathed to admit—Kikune was right, the more he was trying, the more he was messing up. He should have told Kouki back then that he did it because he liked him.

"No! Not just because... It's... I lost my head! I... um, never mind. I'm very sorry. I don't..." He sighed and Seijuuro could see Kouki's face getting sad. "I just realized I don't like Shimeno-kun like that anymore when she kissed me and it was just... wrong. I'll call it off, but I'll wait for the right moment."

"You kissed her?" hissed the other boy and Rakuzan's captain wondered how exactly Furihata had lived through his seventeen years and not had been beaten to death by babbling dangerous things.

"No! I mean... it was just... a smooch, yeah! I mean, the important thing is she was talking about you almost all the time!" Or staring at Seijuuro, while making her décolletage bigger. He supposed that her sweetness was quite the act, but he wasn't going to give her away—it could only backfire.

"...She was?"

"YES! Now... I... I'll call it off, I swear. I just don't want to hurt her or something."

Oomegari sighed and there was sound like patting heard.

"Sure, I was just mad. Thanks for explaining, although I don't like that you used her like that."

"I know... I'm sorry."

"You seriously should stop being so scared, man. It's getting ridiculous. And when that girl jumps you once again just give in, maybe then she'll leave you alone."

At this point, Seijuuro seriously had a problem not chuckling.

* * *

Next three weeks were the strangest in Kouki's life so far—and that was something the after week before, full of kissing and groping with Akashi. In the mornings, he ate breakfast with Shimeno, trying to work out a way to stop "going out" with her and it seemed to work slowly. Then he had gone to school where his lessons were not as tiring as his training sessions—summer play-offs were in less than a week and coach was making them sweat blood and he actually vomited a few times. The worst thing was that she decided to write him as a substitute for Izuki, saying that his whole posture and movements had gotten way better.

Well, he supposed it was true—because right after school he was taking a train to a place somewhere between Tokyo and Kyoto, doing his homework on the train, because later he would be unable to move even a finger. If he ever thought that coach was the worst thing that happened to him he had to revise that statement after being trained by Akashi. Sure, he really did make progress but all the muscles in his body ached—even those he didn't know he possessed.

Right now they had taken a little break, which meant Akashi was stretching and Kouki was dying on the ground, trying to think of the last time he wasn't so tired.

"Your stamina is ridiculously low," commented the magenta-haired boy. Furihata grunted something. "I'm serious. If you still can't stand even ten minutes against me without letting me score six times in a row..."

"You're cheating with your eyes," he mumbled, looking up at the sinisterly amused guy.

They were using some old court that he would have missed if Akashi hadn't shown him. He had to admit that he liked this place—it was secluded by bushes and noises from the city didn't reach them. But everything else was a nightmare. They had four types of training—even if Akashi was insisting that it was three. First one was a warm-up that made him groan and huff, where he was stretched beyond imagination and running from line to line, almost vomiting. The second part was the actual one-on-one game and after three weeks, Kouki still hadn't scored even once. The third part was working on his cowardice—Akashi said that he was good when he put his mind to it and playing cautiously, but he had to work on his passes. "_Your good concentration and pressure on the opponent is nothing if you can't pass the ball because you freak out_" like he stated. And the fourth part was a pure molesting—from gentle kisses on good morning and goodbye, via touching whenever it's possible, hugging and kissing as a part of an award for good work, up to "checking" his muscles. He still was shivering with pleasure at the thought of Akashi's hands on his ass—albeit he still didn't know just what was the boy's excuse of touching him there. Probably none.

"I'm not. You wouldn't stand a chance against them, so I just play with you like a completely normal opponent."

"I seriously doubt you're normal in any way," he whined and covered his face. "I'm beaten. First coach, then you."

"Well, next week summer plays are starting. This is all I can do to help you and you were scheduled for a few games, right?"

"Yeah, but I'm not sure if I should thank you for this. Izuki-senpai is far better than I will ever be."

"But he won't be there next year."

Kouki laughed bitterly.

"No, but we have that first year and..." Then he shut his mouth and coughed. "And I shouldn't talk to you about this."

"Probably not." Akashi sat close to Furihata and smiled gently at him. "You're not a basketball prodigy, you're a slightly above average player after our training sessions, but still poor. There'll always be someone better than you, so grab your chance whenever you can. And try to impress me on the court."

"There is no chance for me to impress you of all people" he mumbled, feeling lousier than ever. Then again, he always believed that he had to do the best he could, so in the process he can always try.

"I like watching you doing what you can, this is what I meant by impressing, otherwise I would probably be with Daiki right now, not you." His face clearly had shown distaste. A few days earlier they'd had a talk about the Teikou guys and Akashi confessed that Aomine was the most powerful of them, but he was feeling more respect towards Kuroko and Midorima, because they were trying very hard to polish their skills, training themselves for hours without any nagging. "This is how liking someone works, right?"

Kouki blushed—he did that every time he remembered that Akashi confessed to him—and smiled shyly.

"Does that mean you'll try to impress me, too?" When heterochromatic eyes looked down at him pensively, he immediately started babbling. "Sorry! I didn't meant it like... you don't have to try to impress me, you're impressive as it is... and that would probably mean pummeling every team you go against to death, not literally—of course!—and... And I'll just shut up," he groaned at the end, already seeing the familiar smirk.

"You do that, it'll be bad for you to run and talk."

"Do I really have to run more?"

Akashi leaned over him, so close their noses were almost touching, breath mixing. Furihata's lungs forgot how to work, he was feeling a little dizzy and he couldn't help but stare in awe into the other boy's gorgeous eyes.

"We can... _exercise _in another way, if you would like to." An evil grin slowly started growing on Akashi's face, his voice dropped and sounded husky. Kouki's heart missed a beat when he heard it, but then it started beating wildly, trying to jump out of his chest. "It would be as good as hours of stretching and much more pleasurable."

"I... we..." His tongue darted out and wetted suddenly dry and chapped lips. This was dangerous. Sometimes their kisses of welcoming and saying goodbye would go into a frenzied kissing session with lots of touching, but he was trying to stop it from happening too often. But, damn, was Akashi good at seduction. "We'd better start running before I miss the last train."

"You can always take me up on my offer of sleeping over."

He smiled and got up, sneaking out from under Akashi. Somehow this was more neutral and natural ground, he even found himself teasing the other boy or joking with him, like he would do with any other boy. Or, what was the most terrifying, a girl he would flirt with.

"Funny, you always say I should go to your room for a night, but you never tried to stay a night at my place whenever it gets late."

"Is that a proposition?" When Kouki's smile disappeared Akashi chuckled. "I wasn't serious, don't worry. The thing is your place is yours, I wouldn't want to invade the space without invitation. And it's completely up to you to stay with me in my house. Besides, to clear the obvious misunderstanding you created for yourself, as long as you're still with _her_ I won't sleep with you. I just want to spend the night with you beside me."

There was something very warm and very queasy inside Furihata's stomach when he heard it. Usually Akashi wouldn't say anything about them being close or whatever, he even didn't mention his confession (which sometimes made Kouki think that he dreamed the whole thing), he would just... touch and tease him, patiently waiting and stopping, smiling gently only when Shimeno was around. And she was around a lot—especially every time Akashi came over for a study session. She seemed to like Rakuzan's captain but he didn't return the sentiment.

Kouki's relationship with her was, to say the least, not very interesting. Despite his words to Oomegari, he still somehow was "going out" with the girl. They even kissed and groped a few times but it always felt strange. He supposed that his own shitty personality was ringing an alarm—he knew that what he was doing was wrong. And yet something was holding him back from calling it off completely.

"I..." He coughed and felt his face growing hot when words started getting out of his mouth. "I'll spend the night after Winter Cup." Then he smiled a little teasingly, feeling utterly stupid at the same time, since he supposed his face was idiotic. "That is, if you're able to impress me! Haha! Ha..."

* * *

Something hot and wild shot through Seijuuro when Kouki said those words. His troubled face with large, anxious eyes made him feel something warm and, well, fluffy. It made his breath hitch and head spin with happiness.

"Sorry..." mumbled Furihata, when Seijuuro didn't laugh with him. "That was stupid."

"It wasn't. I take the bet. I'll impress you and you're going to spend the night with me. But if I fail..." He cocked his head to the side and started thinking. He couldn't demand anything that would scare the boy off and at the same time it had to be something irrelevant, since he knew that he was going to win. Obsession over winning or not—Kouki never saw his ability to the fullest, without, what he heard some people call it, psycho tendencies. "If I fail you're going to go out with me on a date, once more."

"Oh... all right, okay. I can do that."

Seijuuro almost sighed. Kouki was so naive it wasn't even funny—he didn't see that in every possible scenario it was Akashi who was victorious. Not that he would complain.

"Okay, then we take ten last laps and we can go home. You have to catch that last train."

When they finished Seijuuro was only slightly out of breath and Furihata could hardly catch his breath, his face red and forehead sweaty. He looked like he was just deliciously fucked beyond his boundaries and that made Akashi's head fill with lust. Hauling the boy to himself he inhaled his smell, a little unpleasant, but so intense, so musky... A droplet of sweat was making its way down Kouki's cheek, jaw and neck—Seijuuro's eyes were fixated on it.

"Aka-shi-...san... breathi-ing... I must..." Kouki was panting heavily, probably only partially because of arousal, more like he still didn't recover after running. "Water... I need to... dri-ah!"

His moan was a music to Seijuuro's ears and that droplet of sweat was so tasty, so good, skin on the neck tender and just close... His hands moved down to cup Furihata's cheeks, pulling him closer, their hips touching, his leg between Kouki's, rubbing those sensitive balls with a knee and gods, the boy was making the most marvelous sounds.

Seijuuro's lips sucked gently on the rising pulse, then started moving up, licking sweaty skin, nipping here and there, kissing lightly hot skin and Furihata's voice was a little raspy, which was exciting and then... Then there were those lips that touched Seijuuro's and they were kissing, entwining tongues, making small gasps and it was so good, so pleasurable. Kouki's lower lip was already tender and swollen, each time Seijuuro sucked on it or flicked it with his tongue, the boy pushed his chest forward, like he was trying to get even closer, to snuggle inside Akashi's arms even more, to rub on him and get even more friction between his legs.

He had to admit—Kouki was unbelievably lewd when he stopped thinking. Seijuuro could only imagine how the boy would react while in bed...

"I want to have you _right now_..." he groaned and then pulled back from the hands gripping his hair and shirt. "But since we can't... let' just call it a day."

Seeing the look on Furihata's face—vulnerable, hazy with a lots of disappointment—he knew that if he proposed to take him home, Kouki would agree wholeheartedly, probably snogging with him to the fullest in the car and letting Seijuuro do whatever he wanted afterwards, in his room. Just thinking about it almost triggered his climax and he could only hope that the boy was reacting like that to him, not to everyone who could pleasure him.

Yes, thinking about that girl made Akashi's erection almost instantly disappear. It was like icy-cold water on his crotch. He didn't like Shimeno, not only because she was Kouki's so-called girlfriend. No, he disliked the way she looked at him, trying to flirt, and he hated the way her eyes shone when she worked out that he was from _that _Akashi family. A month ago he would smile a few times, take her to a fancy dinner, then sleep with her, and find a good excuse to stop it two weeks later, when he would tire of her. Girls like her were easy, boring, and ugly, even if their faces were pretty.

But this time, probably for the first time in his life, he met someone he truly liked. Kouki was packing his things right now, trying to hide his arousal and—this part was funny—anger. Sadly, that annoyance swiftly passed and soon Furihata smiled at him shyly.

"Tomorrow we have a learning session, right?"

"Yes, but I suggest after that we go to the court that is near, so we can practice a little. After all, a week is not a long time."

They started to walk towards the train station—Kouki had to catch a train and a car sent by Akashi's father was going to wait there for him.

"How is your hand, Akashi-san? I saw that you're very cautious before you catch the ball."

"It's alright. I'm just practicing a new move. You don't have to know why, that would spoil the fun."

"And what's with the case you were working on when I bumped into you?"

"I dropped it. It was..." He was looking for a right word for a few seconds, trying to put into it all of the complicated feelings he had when he saw Shintarou with Takao. "It was wrong of me, the thing I was trying to do. I could destroy something really important for my friend."

But he certainly still had that little temptation to see what kind of face that little shit would make if he knew that Shintarou's first kiss—and more than one—was his. Sure, at that time he was just experimenting, all of his friends were kissed by him and Midorima was always conveniently around—even if later he was avoiding him for some time like a plague—but facts were facts. And he _did_ have a picture of him kissing Midorima – taken completely by accident by someone. Well, he could only hope that he would once again have to play against Shuutoku—then he would just pummel them to death, to show that idiot his place.

"I don't like it," whispered Kouki, looking very uncomfortable.

"What don't you like?" His tone was gentle, he really didn't want the boy to fear him again.

"That you so easily say something about destroying."

Seijuuro shrugged.

"When you're growing up in a house when at every dinner you hear about destroying this or that company it seems normal. Besides I always thought that civilized version of tooth for tooth is a good thing. No one will be insulting me and getting out of it without any repercussions."

"I still don't like it."

"No one tells you to stop. I even prefer if you don't." Seijuuro smiled at the disbelieving look. "I'm serious. I wouldn't, ever, like someone like me. I know that what I'm doing is not right in the moral sense, but... well, I suppose that this action showed me that I can stop myself if I want to."

Kouki chuckled.

"Of course you can! You have such an amazing ability to control everything and everyone, that it should be really easy for you to control yourself."

He stopped and moved his hand into mousy hair, bringing their foreheads together. This was nice, relaxing and so... intimate.

"Stop saying cute things," he whispered, but the small smile couldn't get off of his face.

"I-I'm not! It's the truth!" Then he sniffed and moved slightly forward, so their mouths touched for a second. "Besides you shouldn't call another guy cute."

"You don't think of me as cute?"

"No."

That hurt a little.

"Okay. Then... What do you think of me?" His voice got low and husky, the way Kouki liked it the most, he supposed.

"I..."

"Yes?"

Definitely, he loved it that way, if faster breathing was any indication.

"I think you're beautiful, almost gorgeous, especially your eyes, they're enchanting. Despite being short and lean you're very manly. And I like it, even if it sounds embarrassing."

"So you think I'm attractive?"

He was suddenly feeling proud of himself and at the same time strangely shy and his stomach was hurting.

"Of course! And so does Shimeno-kun, you know. Girls must like you."

Another bucket of ice-cold water. Seijuuro straightened himself and took a step back, smiling at a flabbergasted Kouki.

"Thank you."

"Oh, sure. Er... what would you like to eat tomorrow?"

"Hmmm... something salty."

"You always want salty!"

Talking lightly and laughing they came out of the station. Furihata gave him his goodbye kiss, but this time on the lips and didn't pull away. His kisses were tender and sensual at the same time, caressing his upper and lower lip, corners of the mouth and with every smooch, breathing got heavier and at the end Kouki was panting, while Seijuuro's head was light. He was feeling wild and without any shame—and he felt like that only in the very middle of the sex. He bit Furihata harshly on the ear, earning a gasp, and rubbing himself over just the same moving boy he whispered:

"When you're jerking off, think of me." Kouki moaned and thrust his hips into his, their erections brushing. This only made Seijuuro bolder. "Think of my lips on your skin, my hand on your cock and my dick in your beautiful ass." One of his hands grasped Furihata's cheek and started fondling it. Gods, he had such a firm ass. "Try moving your fingers inside, getting ready for me, thinking how it would be with my fingers, not yours."

"Come with me," hissed Kouki, his hands grasping Seijuuro's shirt on the lower back. "Come with me and we can do this. _Please_."

This was a true test for Seijuuro. He wanted the boy, wanted nothing more than to get into him, see his face twisted by pleasure and hear his choked cries and sobs.

"No." He pulled back and covered his eyes, so as to not look at Kouki, who was probably looking edible. "I told you that until you're with her I'm not going to sleep with you. I like you too much to risk a casual fuck, no matter how good it could be."

There was a flick of anger in Kouki's eyes, but then—surprisingly—he flushed even more and looked to the side.

"I'm sorry, so very sorry! I completely forgot that you like m... that is... ummm..."

Akashi chuckled.

"It's okay. As I said—I'll wait until you make up your mind." He licked his own lips, still feeling the tingling from the kisses. "I can only try to convince you. Considering how much you seem to enjoy our... encounters, I hope your response will be positive."

* * *

**A/N:** _So, we got smut as well ^.^ I wasn't sure if it's not too fast, but then again – it's never too early for smut! And, damn, I love writing Ootsutani, they're crack like hell, but they're really close to my heart, at times even closer than MidoTaka! And I always enjoy writing MidoTaka in a serious relationship – but I'm afraid I made Takao less teasing than I see him be…_

_But I'm still wondering what do you think about the way I made Akashi realize his feelings and what he wants to do with them!_

_Okay, before I get to the part of asking for a review (which are lovely! Even few of those criticizing my writing that I got on PM – I always enjoy good arguments and pointing out the flaws of what I write, so if you didn't like something I wrote – PM me if you're uncomfortable with leaving review!) there is one person I have to answer to, because he/she had the worst timing ever and I read the review on o_ne of the worst days of my life _and I'm not exaggerating. So, _dude _– whatever is your true name – fuck off. This is not your story, not your place to say how I should tag my stories and most definitely not your place to tell me how many chapters of a certain ship qualifies to tag it. MidoTaka is important part of the story – as the chapter proved – and I know many people who're willing to read a story with even bits of their OTP even if it's a side-pairing, as long as the main pair is not their NOTP. And guess what? I _won't_ change the tagging, so the only thing you managed to do with your shitty excuse for a review is to piss me off royally. Kindly use the funny X button on the upper right corner next time you'll think of writing something that is not for you to decide. Alt and F4 will work as well._

_So, forgetting about the upper part – I really will be happy to read what you think about this chapter!  
_


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** _In this chapter we get to see Fukamachi-san and see his interactions with Kudoh-san! (for those who're interested in those two) I'm not sure I grasped the Rakuzan guys right, but if not – please forgive me! I'm not very much into Rakuzan…_

* * *

He was determined. Very, very determined. He'll do this. He will! He needs to know, to say... Taking a deep breath Kouki knocked on the door and waited with a heavily beating heart.

"Yup?" The door opened and a tall, bulky man with long hair and stubble appeared in. "Well, isn't it Kouki-kun! Long time no see, brat! I heard you were taken by Shimeno-chan?"

"Fukamachi-san, I hoped... that is..." He blushed heavily and coughed. "Is Kudoh-san in?"

"Yeah, he's just taking a shower, but give him few minutes. So, how have ya' been doing?"

Furihata plopped on the sofa and looked around with small smile. He liked this room so much—from the floor up to ceiling there were rows of bookshelves and they all were filled with books. It made the place cozy and comfortable.

"Well, in the next week, summer play-offs start so I'm kind of busy with training sessions. And how are you, Fukamachi-san? I didn't see you the last few weeks."

"I was busy, that's why. I have a new place and got a nice contract with one of the motorcycles' producer!" His eyes were practically shining with excitement. "It's a big place and I'll have two co-workers, chosen by myself and, damn, it's great! And what's better my payment got a lot better which is why... That is..." He scraped his neck and smiled. "I wanted to tell everyone in the next few days, the landlord already knows, but I suppose I can tell you since you're the closest here to me. We're moving, Kimihiro and I, in the next month. With this new pay, I was able to buy a house, taking credit, of course, but I'm able to do this now."

For a second, Kouki was stricken with shock and a little sadness, but soon his face lit up.

"Oh my god! That's awesome, Fukamachi-san! I'm so happy for you! Both the contract and the house!" He was really, really happy. Fukamachi and Kudoh were one of the best people he knew and they deserved everything that was good. "Where will you live now?"

"In Kyoto, it's Kimihiro's hometown." It was stupid that when Kouki heard 'Kyoto' his heart skipped a beat. "You don't know it, but when I met Kimihiro he was from a very wealthy family, I won't go into the details, but he was used to a much better life. And he gave up that life for me, his family doesn't want to acknowledge our relationship..." His voice got darker, heavier, and somehow hearing him speak like that was painful. And that made Kouki realize that he never, even for a second, thought about what Akashi's family would say about their only son dating a man. "They were trying to take him back, but he wouldn't go without me. That's why I swear to myself that I'll try to make it up to him, work as hard as I can to let him live like he was used to."

"I thought he was happy here," mumbled Kouki, trying to cheer up older man.

"He is, but I'm not, no offense. In winter, this place is cold, despite kotatsu and heating. His fingers are already hurting when it gets a little colder and I worry about him. Besides... uh..." He blushed and looked to the side. "We don't have much... privacy, if you get what I mean. Walls are very thin here and... well, Oomegari-kun's room is under our bedroom and he sometimes had to ask us to be quieter because he couldn't sleep. And this also goes the other way—you know how Kimihiro is when he's writing, he needs absolute silence and that's something that can't be acquired here, as much as we love this place."

He supposed there was something to it, but it was sad, nonetheless. He already decided to live here even through college—if he was lucky enough to get accepted, that is—and he would miss the two older guys that were so good to him.

"I wish you a lot of happiness and I hope you'll come and visit once in a while."

"We will and we'll miss you, too" said a voice from the door and Kouki looked this way. Kudoh's hair was wet and he was wearing only shorts, showing his slightly flabby stomach. He was very handsome, but Furihata didn't feel anything more than appreciation. "You wanted to see me?"

"Er... yeah, just... alone, if that's not a problem?" he mumbled to his knees, not sure if he's doing the right thing.

Fukamachi laughed good-heartedly and said something about making dinner and then, while coming out, kissed Kudoh on the cheek, making the man smile shyly. Something like jealousy—or maybe envy—had gone through Furihata's body. He wanted something like that, someone who would think of him, who he would take care of him, who could just kiss him in passing and make him feel like the most important person in the world...

"Do you have some problems with that boy I saw you with?" Kudoh's question struck so close to home that Kouki actually had the urge to flee. "It is about him, right?"

"It is... kind of."

"Why are you still hanging out with a shady guy like him if you have Shimeno-chan?"

"He is not shady!" he said angrily, before he could catch himself. "He's a good person, just with a twisted sense of humor. He's patient and sweet, and very caring, just his ways of showing that care are not conventional. He's fun to be with and doesn't mind when someone is nothing special. And his smile is... just…"

Kudoh, who was listening to him with huge eyes, suddenly blinked, leaned forward and took his hand.

"Kouki-kun, do you like him?"

There was something in his throat that was almost choking.

"I... I think I do" he whispered, feeling like everything around him suddenly changed. He knew it, but stubbornly decided to ignore it, making everything more complicated than it should be.

"Then why are you going out with Shimeno-chan?"

"I am not! I mean, yesterday we broke up, she had no problems with it, saying she had seen it coming, but it was nice, while it lasted. She was really great, you know? Taking it so calmly, not making any fuss, even though I told her few things that could hurt her. And why... because I got scared that I like another guy." He admitted in a hush voice. He didn't know if Kudoh heard him, but judging by his gentle smile, he did. "And that it was too early to decide, we knew each other closely only a week and before that I was scared of him..."

Kudoh-san sighed.

"Time doesn't have anything to do with it. I was already in love with Daisuke after the third day we talked for the first time, even if I had other... issues going on that made me... Never mind. What I want to say is that it's what you're feeling that is important. Does that boy..." He swallowed and then once again asked in a lower tone. "Did he talk about me or Daisuke?"

Kouki blinked few times, trying to understand.

"No, he didn't. Well, once he said you're quite the pair, after I told him that story about fishing camp." Older man groaned with mortification. "He said it was funny, so no worries! But why would you ask?"

"Never mind, I just thought that he... he would... My parents are in the same business as his father and... Well, he isn't the heir, Kikune is, but still I thought..."

"Kikune?"

"His... foster brother, I should call him, I suppose. But that's not important. I thought he was trying to use you against me." Then he grimaced ugly. "Nothing I would put past my family."

"No. He..." Kouki felt his face getting warmer and he fixated his gaze on knees. "He said he likes me and... and would like to go out with me... And I think I'll agree," he finished lamely, squirming in his seat, trying not to look as ashamed by that confession as he felt.

"I suppose it's your own choice. But why would you like to see me? Because if only to talk about it, then that's okay, but I don't think that it's everything."

"No. I wanted to know... er, that is... to ask if... or not if but does it..." He covered his eyes feeling like a complete idiot, before the actual question flew out of his mouth. "In bed... does it hurt?"

There was silence for a second and only when Kouki dared to look at Kudoh-san, he saw that the man... was barely holding in his laughter!

"Kudoh-san! It isn't funny!" When the man roared with laughter, Furihata pouted a little, feeling that he should never have asked.

"Sorry, sorry! I'm not laughing at you!" After a while, when the man stopped laughing so much, his voice got gentle and not even a trace of irony was there. "I asked the exact same question to a guy I knew before I slept with Daisuke, that's why I was laughing. And my answer is I don't know, it depends. And sorry if I would seem too eager to talk about it, I just don't have any shame," he chuckled.

"It d-depends?"

"Yes. It's different with a man who has some experience or when you have one. It's also about how high your pain tolerance is. For example, my level is quite high so I almost don't feel anything. And there is also... well, arousal. The more you want it, the less you concentrate on pain. It's also about how, er, sensitive your prostrate is. I've heard about guys who don't feel anything out of it or are uncomfortable when it's touched."

"But it does... does feel good?"

Kudoh-san's mouth trembled, like he could laugh any moment, but then he sighed and almost closed his eyes and his voice was almost purr.

"Oh yes, it does. Do you think there would be any guys having sex with other men if it weren't pleasurable? I can assure you, it is. So good that it can be addictive, especially when you bottom and you love it." He coughed and scratched his neck. "Sorry, I got a little carried away. Like I said, no shame. But are you really sure you want to just hop into his bed?"

"He excites me and we... a few times we... It won't be long until I decide to do this," he finished, hoping that from his stammering Kudoh-san understood anything.

"Well, it's okay, don't be embarrassed, Kouki. It's completely normal to feel like that and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Everyone feels lust, the only thing is if you want to take that step." He said it in such a sure voice, that he wondered just what happened in that man's past. "So, there are things you need to know. Like preparations, washing, protection, lubrication..."

For the next hour, Furihata heard so many things that he could imagine with Akashi in the main role that the moment he got to his room, he rushed off to the bathroom, eager to try a few of the things Kudoh-san told him, before Rakuzan's captain would come. Just to ease the thrill he felt at the thought of making love with the other boy.

* * *

It had been a very long time since Seijuuro was nervous at the thought of playing a game. Sure, his face was calm and composed, but there was a turmoil inside of him. Last year, he wasn't strong enough to win, so was he enough now? He wasn't so sure of this.

And that—he thought with a surprise—was a very nice feeling.

Their team was announced and they started to slowly walk to the court, getting ready and...

"Akashi-san!"

His head moved slowly to the side and his eyes immediately fell on Kouki, who was smiling at him from the stands. He barely looked at the stricken faces of the whole Seirin team.

"Good luck!" screamed the boy and Seijuuro couldn't help himself.

His lips moved into a gentle smile and he waved shortly, basking in the sight of the flushed and happy face above him. It reminded him of the day they had that study session—gloriously free of that girl—and how amazing he looked when he opened the door. Kouki's face was relaxed and dazed, his eyes half-lidded and content, like he was just fucked throughrouly and could only ask for more.

"Who's that?" Reo's voice cut harshly into his glorious daydream and he scowled at him so hard, that the taller boy took step back. "Just asking, Sei-chan."

"That's Furihata Kouki, from Seirin."

"You seem to know each other. I never saw you smiling like tha-" His face suddenly _sparkled_ and he clasped Akashi's arms. "It's him, right? That person who you took on a date to the cinema! It wasn't a girl but him! And don't try to..."

"Yes, it's him," admitted Seijuuro, knowing that it was better to say it now and drop all the pretense. "Now focus on the game."

He should have known better. Reo was now like a dog sniffing a bone.

"It's a lousy team, we can talk more! Did you kiss? Did you sleep with him? Oh my, if he ever hurts you, you come to me and I'll skin him!"

"Who're we gonna skin?" Eikichi, like always without even an ounce of grace, butted in.

Usually, Reo ignored "_this ugly, vulgar brute_" but this time he took his hands off Seijuuro and grasped Eikichi's muscular arm.

"Sei-chan got a boyfriend! And we're going to kill him if he ever..."

"Are you mad?" mumbled the man and shrugged. "Akashi will take care of him himself if he's going to... Wait, boyfriend?" He mumbled something that sounded like _'a team full of pansies'_ but since he was wise enough to not say it aloud, Seijuuro let it slip.

"What boyfriend? Whose boyfriend?" Kotarou butted in, bouncing on his feet. "Because my boyfriend is here, there, up! Well, he's more on the other side of the court where Shuutoku plays, but he still came and I'm sure he'll watch me!" Then he started jumping and waving his arms in the general direction of a blond head somewhere so far away, that it had to take a true optimist to think Miyaji was here for Hayama. "But, poor Reo-nee, your perfect boy is now clinging to this Midorima fellow! Want me to give you a hug?"

Reo's face screwed with disgust.

"You're too worm-like, no wonder your precious blond prefers to sit with that bulky guy!"

"Huh? With Ootsubo? Well..." His smile vanished a little but then he laughed. "Now that would be something! Although I was sure he wasn't into blonds, he always was saying that he has someone he likes, someone dark-haired and..."

Seijuuro almost snorted. _And older and smaller and much more sour someone, who was right now looking like he wanted to go home more than anything else_.

"...besides we were talking about Sei-chan's guy! Who is it? He's cute, right? Sei-chan likes cute guys."

"I do not."

"You do, I saw you harassing that first year."

"I was only telling him what he was doing wrong, not harassing. And I wouldn't harass someone I like." _Too much_, he thought with a wry smile.

"See? Our Sei-chan is nothing like a groping pervert like you, Reo-nee!"

"I'M NOT...!"

"Enough."

One word in a calm, deadly tone was enough to stop both guys.

"Sei-chan?"

"We have a game to play and we'd better do it right, or I'll get mad."

He had to impress Kouki, after all.

Their relations were still pretty tense, but lately there was something else that he felt there... Of course, their kissing and making out was good—in the last few days really good actually, as if Furihata lost all of his boundaries, but Seijuuro was trying to control himself as much as he could. Especially since lately the air around them was full of... anticipation. He didn't know when it started but he had a feeling that everything would be okay between them as long as he didn't scare the boy off.

Once again he looked at Kouki, who was right now furiously saying something (looking like he was shouting?)—subtly, so no one will notice—but his eyes somehow looked up and his face got white with fury. A few seats behind Furihata sat Kikune—all in casual clothes, some jeans and a sweater, but still standing out. And listening to whatever Kouki was saying with obvious interest. Suddenly blue eyes snapped up and locked with heterochromatic ones. The fucker had the gall to wave at him with a smile, just like Kouki did.

"Get on the court," he barked out at the team and totally ignored their shock and fear.

* * *

Kouki was smiling when he saw how annoyed Akashi became while his teammates were arguing over something—arms flailing and faces angry. When he saw Rakuzan coming in he somehow couldn't help himself and just had to call its captain and wave at him, although he wasn't quite sure why—it was more than obvious that Akashi would win this one.

He just wanted to look to the side at Kuroko and ask if Akashi was always playing in his games, but when he turned his head he found the whole team staring at him with wide eyes.

"Huh? Did I do something?" Oh, shit. They knew about that sandwich he stole from Kagami's locker! He wanted to immediately start apologizing, that he was hungry and he made one extra for Kagami the very next day, but before he could open his mouth, Kuroko spoke first.

"Furihata-kun, how did you do it that Akashi-kun didn't scowl at you?"

"Huh? Why would he?"

"You just winded him up, idiot!" Hyuuga moaned and hid his head in hands. "We're so dead, so dead now. Thanks, Furihata. That's really what we needed!"

"Eeek, he'll go berserk and there goes our chance!" moaned one of the first years and that was all that Kouki needed.

He rarely got mad, like really mad. Usually he was angry for a few seconds and then it died—besides he never wanted to pick a fight with anyone, being too scared for possible revenge.

"Akashi-san isn't like that! At least not after last year's loss! You don't know him, so shut your mouth!" he snapped, glaring at the whole team at once, but in front of his eyes, he saw the boy he'd come to love as he was trying to explain something to him, as he was sparring with him, as he was closely watching how Kouki cooks... "He's nice, compassionate, when he wants to be, and he likes to help other people, even if he's annoyed by them! And I never saw him acting rude towards anyone!"

His head was light with anger and he was shaking—something he hadn't felt in a long, long time.

"You never saw him being...?" Kuroko blinked few times. "When _did_ you see him?"

_Shit._ His face started getting hot when he realized what he just said. Now shocked faces started getting suspicious. He might as well spill the whole story. Without the details, of course.

"We bumped... I mean, _I_ literally bumped into Akashi-san over a month ago and spilled his steaming hot coffee over his hand. That burn made him unable to play for some time, so I... kinda took responsibility and kept him company, as he said he wanted to. And when he started training once again we somehow didn't stop seeing each other and he helped me with basketball, and history, and we sometimes eat together and..."

"SO THAT'S WHY!" Coach jumped and when all the eyes shifted to her, she pointed her finger at Kouki. "I was wondering what kind of change in your training made you play on a whole new level! Arrrgh, I'm mad that he could do something I didn't!" She pushed Kagami back so he almost fell out of his seat and her eyes sparkled. "What did he do? What kind of training? Passing? Running? Something new?"

"Er... I... I don't know, coach. I don't know what different he's doing and it's not like I could tell him anything about our training sessions."

"Sure, but..."

Then she started talking and didn't stop wrenching everything he knew and even few things he didn't remember from him until the game started.

And when the game started Kouki couldn't tear his eyes off Akashi.

* * *

"You were _amazing_! I never saw such good dribbling skills, even when you were playing against us!"

Just as they decided Kouki was waiting for him in front of a bus station. The boy was positively bouncing with excitement and Seijuuro felt really flattered.

"Thank you. Just as I promised, I was trying to impress you."

"And you did it! How did you duck that huge guy?! He was, like, twice your size!"

This time he laughed.

"Certainly not! But when you're quite short it's easy to take advantage of much taller people. Well, unless they have some kind of move with someone from their team." He supposed that this year's game with Shuutoku would be something different. "I can teach you some of the moves, but only a few of them. I wouldn't endanger our victory just because I have soft spot for you."

"What do you say we cut off today's practice and I'll make pork?" Seijuuro cocked head to the side and faked hard thinking. "I swear I'll make it salty! Very, very salty!"

"If you say so... Okay, let's get going." He pointed at a bus that was going their way. Seijuuro didn't want to tell Kouki that he planned to go to his place nonetheless. He wasn't tired after the game, but it was almost like a good training session, so there was no need to overdo it. When they took their seats he leaned a little, so their shoulders were pressed against each other, and small fingers were touching. "What were you arguing about with your team?"

Kouki fidgeted a little, trying to find a good position and finally he gave in and relaxed. Some older granny was glaring their way with obvious distaste but after one look she turned her head forward.

"Somehow I babbled out that we were training together and coach wanted to know how you improved my skills."

"It wasn't that hard, just tiresome."

"Thanks," muttered the boy and Seijuuro chuckled, but then remembered an important question he had to ask.

"Did Kikune say anything to you?"

Furihata blinked a few times before understanding appeared on his face.

"Oooh, I get it. Kikune, the guy who's heir to your father's company, right? Your foster brother? I don't even know what he looks like, so I suppose he didn't?"

It was his turn to be surprised.

"Then how do you know he's an heir?"

"Er... Kudoh-san told me, mentioned someone named Kikune while talking about... about... yeah..." He was obviously flustered right now, but Seijuuro wasn't in a mood to press him.

"He was sitting three or four rows behind you. Tall, lean and gorgeous, you wouldn't miss him if you saw him. Black hair, striking blue eyes."

Kouki shook his head.

"Nope. I don't... Oh! Coach was turning around during the pauses and Hyuuga-senpai was in a bad mood, saying something about straying eyes and that not everyone is hot as fuck or something..."

"The most important part is that he didn't talk to you." His tone was harsh, he knew it, but the potential dangers were too high. "If you ever see him, don't listen to him, go somewhere safe and call me."

Brown, big eyes looked at him with confusion.  
"Why? He's your brother, even if by adoption, right?"

Seijuuro scowled and took his small hand into his own, thinking about how to explain this. He was serious about Kouki and didn't think that the boy would go and talk with someone about this, so he might as well say everything. But after a quick glance around, he spotted few people who could be Kikune's spies.

"I'll tell you when we get to your place," he murmured, then leaned on Furihata's arm and sighed, trying to fake sleep.

Sometime later when they closed the door behind them, both with one bag of groceries, Seijuuro kissed Kouki slightly, his full lips grazing over thin ones, feeling smooth skin. He smiled and took a step back when the boy opened his mouth, gasped and clearly wanted more.

"Let's get into making dinner, I'm famished."

"Ah... yeah, sure! Will you make the rice?"

He enjoyed watching Kouki cooking but even more than that he liked helping him, stealing more or less innocent touches and caresses. When they finally ate and ungracefully sprawled on tatami's facing each other, Seijuuro sighed and started telling the one story that he supposed broke him in the past.

* * *

**A/N:** _mwahahaha, cliffhanger! Try and guess what's the story will be? Oooh, and the scene in which Kouki waved to Akashi was the very first one I saw in my mind when I was getting ready to write this, so I'm really excited to acutally post it! It seemed like a very sweet thing in my head, not sure how it came out in actual writing - that's for you, guys (and mostly for you, Saru Pulver - after all the whole thing was written just for you), to decide. _

_Next chapter: Akashi's story and… smut! I live on smut and every time I manage to make a chapter without it I'm seriously impressed by myself that I was able to not sneak some dirty groping between the important stuff xD_

_Please, review! I love reading your reviews!_


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** _So, here we go with Akashi's story and smut ^.^_

* * *

They were now lying beside each other, face to face and Seijuuro found it quite hard to just talk and at the same time look into Kouki's concerned eyes. He choose to start with a little background, before he got to the most important part, to give himself some time to prepare.

"Kikune was adopted two years ago, but I knew him since I was seven. He was, I suppose, sixteen then and already beautiful beyond anything."

"I don't think anyone can match with you."

Akashi chuckled and shifted closer to Kouki, to stroke his cheek.

"Thank you, but I wouldn't judge until you saw him and it's nothing wrong, he's just this way. He's a bastard child of one of my father's business rivals and I suppose that my father thought it would be funny to make Kikune my tutor and something akin to a nanny. You see, Kikune was meant to be an heir to his father's company, even though he was a mistress' child. But when he was fifteen, the legal wife gave a birth to a boy, so he was tossed aside, which was kind of stupid."

Furihata had a frown on his forehead.

"This is beyond me, you know? All that politics and business... But why stupid?"

"It's okay, it's hard to understand sometimes even for people who are raised in this world. Kikune... Well, he's exceptional. He has a very high IQ, perfect memory, amazing understanding of everything that was related to his heritage—I suppose you could call him a business genius. From what I gather, his brother is not so bright, even if still a child. In the end, Kikune moved in with us and was my private tutor, while finishing his high school and getting into college. I..." This was the hardest part to admit, he thought and Kouki had to sense it because he squeezed his hand. His tone got sour and almost desperate, because it still _hurt_. "I adored him. He was always playing with me, always so patient and understanding. He was something you could call a sweet type of person, someone with a high level of empathy. I was working hard because even if my father's demands were harsh both in delivery and context, I wanted Kikune to smile at me more, to still like me. And he betrayed me, used me."

His voice got hard and he was still shaking with anger.

"What happened?" whispered Kouki, looking concerned.

"He took my heritage from me by sleeping with my father."

Furihata's eyes got huge and his mouth opened in shock, but Seijuuro saw it like from a fog.

He remembered that day blow by blow. He was at the company, looking up at some papers his father wanted him to understand, when he heard gossip that it would be Kikune who's going to inherit the company. Feeling slightly disturbed, but mostly furious that there were such ugly rumors about his best friend and mentor, Seijuuro almost runned up to home. He opened the door and was shocked that there were none of the servants around. Acting as calm as he could, he started walking to Kikune's room when he heard a sob coming from his father's sitting room. The door was ajar and he walked quietly to them, not knowing what to expect—some part of him was afraid that someone broke in and captured everyone. He was trained how to act in such circumstances. But what he saw was far from any burglar-fantasy.

His father was sitting on a sofa, his lips tightened, eyes almost shut but his whole face held more feelings than Seijuuro ever saw. He was completely naked and his hands were grasping Kikune's hips. Kikune, who was sitting on his lap, trapping him between slender tights. Kikune, whose head was thrown back and his mouth open. Kikune, who was sobbing and moaning. Kikune, who had his father's cock up his ass and was riding him like mad.

Kikune, who at that moment looked down at his father with some strange look—one that Seijuuro could only call greedy—and before kissing him and hearing a positive response demanded to know if he would be the next heir to the Akashi company.

"The very next day I saw them my father told me that he would be adopting Kikune and making him his rightful heir." He completely left out the part when he run to his room and cried himself to sleep, not understanding, not believing. Seijuuro smiled sourly and shook his head. "The funniest thing in all of this is that I was temporary relieved, you know? I never actually liked all of that stuff, business and so on. I prefer my life stable and quiet, I always liked it this way, the best days for me were to play basketball, read books, and play shogi. Sometimes I fantasized about being a shogi player, being the best and forgetting all about the company. So I didn't confront Kikune at that time, I was... numb. This was the time I started to experiment with boys, kissing anyone who was near, trying to understand what could be so good in this, since I caught my father and my new brother few times. I'm good at spying when I want to be." Furihata smiled faintly, it was obvious that he didn't know what to say. "But one day, when I finished dinner, it somehow... hit me. That I was stripped from what was mine, from what I was raised to. All those hours and weeks of study for nothing. And then I understood that Kikune used me—a mere child, who was trusting him like no one else and did so for years. He did almost the exact same thing that his own brother did to him, with the exception of fucking my father. I suppose they're still going at it, since my old man protects him like an idiot." He sighed and rolled on his back. "And now something is happening inside the company and Kikune wants my help, even though two years ago I literally spat in his face, called him names and was ranting for over half an hour about how disgusted I am by him. I wouldn't put it past him to try to get to me through you."

"But why? I'm not..."

"Because I like you, maybe even love, that's why."

* * *

His heart hurt. His chest hurt. His eyes stung with tears and Kouki was afraid that after hearing Akashi's confession once again he would burst with the feelings that accumulated inside his heart.

He couldn't believe it. Such a betrayal, such an... ugly way to find out it. And he still couldn't understand over half of it. He wouldn't do something like that, ever, and didn't know how a human being could do something like that to another one. Especially when they knew each other for so long.

With one swift movement he found himself leaning over Akashi and smiling sadly down at him. He couldn't understand but could give some comfort.

"You impressed me today," he said quite shyly, his eyes darting away. His heart started pounding loudly and nervously. "That means... um... I sleep with you today?"

If he had any doubts about this move Akashi's smile and arms around his shoulders that were pulling him down for a sweet kiss washed out all uncertainty.

"If sappy stories get you like that I may dig up few more," murmured the boy and nuzzled his nose on Kouki's neck. "But I'd love to sleep with you."

They packed him up for one night swiftly and since they both didn't have any training, school, nor games the next day, Furihata was looking forward to sleeping in.

"I suppose you would prefer to go by train?"

"Yup, I would feel awkward in a car. If that's okay with you, that is..."

"Of course. But we'll have to get to my house by car nonetheless." When Kouki looked at Akashi with question in his eyes, the boy sighed. "It'll be late and I won't risk walking around at such an hour."

They talked the whole way and Furihata loved the fact that even if their interests were so different they still had some common ground. Kouki liked modern music, manga, anime and romantic movies, while Akashi was more into traditional music, historic books and action films—but they still could talk about it, listening to the other and even deciding to watch this or that. It was like they were friends but there was still something else there that wasn't making Kouki that much at ease—and right now it had absolutely nothing to do with fear.

Now that he was thinking about it it was some time since he feared Rakuzan's captain. Usually he was flustered and ecstatic, not afraid. Feeling his heart beating wildly in his throat he squeezed Akashi's hand and they were sitting like this—twisted awkwardly to see each other, with hands clasped, unless Kouki had to prove his point by gesturing wildly. But always after this his right hand flew without hesitation to Akashi's, even if his enormously blushing face was showing just how hard it was for him.

He felt even worse when they finally got into the boy's bedroom with two futons already on the ground.

"You... you had a guest, right?" He chuckled nervously, feeling something ugly inside of him. Was it some guy? Someone more beautiful than Kouki, with less messed up hair, taller or more bulky... Or maybe a lean, gorgeous girl with a lots of self-confidence and high-class manners? "Oh, I'll... I'll go back, don't worry."

But the tears already appeared in his eyes and he almost cursed himself. He acted like in some shitty movie, but it hurt. Was he too late? Should he tell Akashi that he broke up with Shimeno a few days ago because he liked him? He wanted to do that after the final games—in case they both would get there—and wanted to...

"What are you talking about? Kouki?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and wiped the tears off of his face.

"Sorry, I was stupid. I shouldn't just out of the blue say something like that if you had a guest. Just... so stupid..."

* * *

Seijuuro wondered just how in the world Furihata's mind worked. Didn't he realize that if circumstances were a little different, then one call to the main maid was enough to put an extra futon in his room?

He walked to slightly shake Kouki and kissed his temple with gentle smile.

"It's not that. My room's looked like that since our talk. I wanted to be prepared in case you decided you want to stay."

His lips lingered for a moment on the warm and slightly salty from sweat forehead and then moved lower, brushing thin eyebrows and small nose. Kouki's eyelashes fluttered and closed, his mouth opened slightly, his breath gotten heavy. With small hesitation, not sure if he was going to be able to control himself, Seijuuro kissed Furihata.

Their mouth met, lips caressing, tongues brushing and entwining, sending sparks of pleasure to their bodies. Akashi's hands slowly stroked the boy's sides, sliding over ribs and resting at the hips. Kouki had such a lovely body—hard but still soft in some places, and his hips were beautifully sculpted. Furihata's arms encircled Seijuuro's arms, holding him loosely and brushing smooth hair on the nape. Each stroke of his fingers was making him purr and kiss slightly harder, push his tongue deeper.

Kouki was shivering, and so was his breath. Their mouths were meeting, kissing slightly and then parting. It was painfully sweet, he had to admit. Every time those trembling lips closed over his, Seijuuro felt sparks of pleasure even in his toes. Kouki's body was swaying into him, his back arched, so the kiss wasn't interrupted but from waist down they were getting closer and closer, and soon their hard cocks were touching.

His hands snuck down and gripped firm cheeks, pressing him closer and closer. Kouki gasped and parted his legs slightly, as to not fall down. Seijuuro growled deeply and started rotating his hips, making them both shudder with pleasure. It felt so good... Furihata's taste was making him lose control and the way he smelled...

* * *

His head was light, everything was spinning and he couldn't help thrusting into Akashi's body. Whatever the boy was doing felt exquisite—their cocks were rubbing in a way he couldn't predict and that was really...

Kouki gasped when one of the firm hands that were gripping his buttcheeks slid into his pants and started caressing his flesh. Without thinking he parted his legs even wider and pushed his hips back, not realizing that meant losing friction from the front, but those fingers... They were moving the same way that Akashi's tongue in his mouth—sliding all over the place in a lazy, teasing way, made him react and demand even more. And, gods, did he want more.

Suddenly Akashi broke the kiss and his free hand swiftly undid the button and zipper on his trousers, then joined the second on his bare arse, hauling him forward.

"I'm going to touch you everywhere, mark you everywhere..." Akashi growled into Kouki's ear. Furihata's legs almost gave at the sound of this voice. So low, so... rough and threatening, that it was making him both excited and scared. "I'll take off your clothes and kiss your neck, bite your nipples until you'll be writhing under me and at the same time I'll do this..." One of his fingers moved into the cleft between Kouki's buttocks and started teasing his hole.

He had touched himself there just a few days ago, after the talk with Kudoh-san, imagining it was Akashi who was fingering him, but the reality exceeded all of his fantasies.

"Yes..." he sobbed out, his head completely empty, able only to nod vehemently. Somehow his hands moved down and started gripping Akashi's shirt out of the trousers. He wanted him naked, now, here, at this moment.

Soon the world was spinning and he felt something soft under his back. Akashi toppled him back on the futon, moving on top of him with speed. Kouki parted his legs to let him come as close as possible and then crossed ankles on the other boy's back.

Akashi slammed down on him, making him hiss both from the powerful pressure and pain. His hands snuck under the shirt, touching hot, smooth skin and moving upwards, breaking the kiss only for Akashi to take it off. He got only a peek of the muscular, slim body before his mouth was devoured once again and bold movements of the tongue made him shiver.

The boy on top of him was thrusting into him, making Kouki's cock painfully aroused with his own hard muscle. He even forgot that his pants were undone until a warm hand closed around the head that was straining against the material.

"Yes, please..."

It wasn't his voice—it was too shaky, too breathy, too needy—but it had to be since Akashi hadn't moved his mouth.

"Take your shirt off," murmured a commanding and, at the same time, soft voice into his ear. Without thinking twice he sat up awkwardly and almost tore the sleeve in a hurry.

* * *

Seijuuro couldn't stop staring. He loved Kouki's chest since the first time he saw it. And now he could touch it. With strangely shaking fingers, something that never happened before, he stroked the warm skin and smiled victoriously when Kouki's eyelids fluttered and closed.

Touching warm skin he moved closer and kissed his slender neck. Furihata gasped and moved his head to the side, almost as in invitation. The first bite made the boy hiss, but the second tore out of him a moan full of pleasure. His head lolled and fell back, hips moving up along with his chest. Akashi's fingers were teasing no longer soft nipples, pinching them slightly, while his tongue was mercilessly lapping on very tender skin on the neck.

He was in control here, Kouki was surrendering to him completely with a passion and that was arousing Seijuuro beyond his mind.

"Such a good boy..." he whispered hotly and grinned evilly when a shiver ran through the body under him. Yes, Furihata loved dirty talk, especially when it was whispered into his ear in a cold voice. And that was a very interesting revelation. "Such a pretty boy... You like it, don't you? Being bitten, slammed into with force. Hmm?"

He couldn't stop admiring the heavy blush that was on Kouki's face. One of the light brown eyes cracked open and looked down.

"I..." He touched his lips with tongue, probably thinking how to explain it, but he didn't had a chance. Seijuuro moved up and boldly licked the sticking out tongue. Furihata's eyes opened with shock and then—trembling slightly and looking to the side—he did something that almost made Akashi come.

He moved his tongue out even further.

Not being one to decline such an offer, Seijuuro started licking it, not caring for all the saliva that was dripping from their mouths. It was messy. It was dirty. It was perfect. But he couldn't do this for too long—soon he had the urge to suck the tongue into his mouth and increase the movement of his hips.

His whole body was aflame with need. Tearing himself from this heated kissing was hard, but the feel of Kouki's hard nipple between his lips and the cry that tore out of the boy's mouth were more than an equivalent prize. He was sucking, biting, and teasing the nub to the point the skin around it had gotten red. This was so good, so pleasant... But still not what he needed.

With a sudden flash of inspiration he looked up to see Kouki staring at him from heavy-lidded eyes. When their eyes locked Furihata moaned, his head lolled and cock made a slight jerk.

"Your eyes..." he breathed and reached his hands out for Akashi's face, coercing him closer, so he could kiss him. "I love your eyes... so beautiful, so gorgeous..."

He smiled and kissed back, only lightly stroking the hard muscle in his hand. Kouki was in such a haze that he probably didn't know what was happening, too much stimulation, he supposed. That didn't stop Seijuuro from leaning in and sucking on the soft earlobe before whispering:

"I'm going to suck you, take your dick in my mouth and drink your sperm, Kouki... And you'll love it."

Taking only a second to admire the lust in those eyes, feeling how the legs under him swiftly parted, Seijuuro slid down, took Kouki's pants and underwear off, and licked his lips.

* * *

A flash of dread came through thick haze of arousal. Why was Akashi looking at him like that? Was he repulsed? Kouki wasn't very well-endowed and he wanted to say that he was quite good at operating with it, but he wasn't sure if that was of any interest for the boy. Taking the risk he moved his legs even more to the side, pulling on the muscles and hoping that his bold exposure would do something for Akashi.

Heterochromatic eyes looked up—from his cock, via abdomen, chest and neck, up to his eyes—and Furihata felt his breath stop. He was weak against Akashi's gaze, so sharp and intense.

"You're gorgeous, Kouki," he whispered in a broken voice, then cleared his throat, so the next words came out more sure. "Never think otherwise. A true feast for the eyes..." he murmured, leaning down and without even a slight hesitation licked Furihata's shaft in one, languid movement.

From this moment, the world became blurry. He could feel his chest getting off the bed, arching almost impossibly, could feel one of his hand gripping the sheets to stop himself from thrashing around too much, but his hips were not listening to him, and neither were his legs. He was moving almost from side to side, but never losing the scorching, wet heat on his cock, that was moving and making him feel the pleasure that no one ever could give him. His head was constantly in motion, just as his lips, but he didn't know the words that were coming out of him. Kouki only knew that it was Akashi, that he was pleasuring him beyond any means, that his hand was buried into soft, magenta hair he loved and that it was so good, so close, so intimate, so loving, so...

His next thoughts were stopped by the haze that came over his mind when he cried out and the pleasure was too much, almost pain, but so good, so close, Akashi, Akashi, Akashi...

"_A-ka-shi._.." he sobbed out and then, with a cry, came.

* * *

His mouth was filled with sour fluid, but he didn't mind the taste much—he never knew that giving someone head could be this pleasurable. Kouki was so gorgeous, so responsive, so natural in whatever he was doing. He couldn't stop moving, couldn't stop crying out, telling Seijuuro how much he loved him, how good he was, how amazing it felt, how he wanted Akashi to take him...

He, himself, was so close to coming that when he stopped swallowing and moved up he thought that it would take no more than a few strokes and he would come all over Kouki's beautiful chest. He wanted to mark him in some way. But suddenly he was pushed and hurt blossomed in his chest - he was never rejected this much when he was so sure that Furihata was enjoying, was he moving too fast, maybe it was a huge mistake and once again he wanted just too much, too fast...

His depressed thoughts were interrupted by sloppy hands trying to undo his trousers.

"Off, off..." mumbled Kouki, looking half-dead, with a crazed look in his eyes that made Seijuuro take his pants down faster than ever. Furihata bended in half and took him in one swift movement, moaning when Akashi's cock made its way into his mouth. He choked and moved a little back, but took a deep breath and started moving his head up and down, his lips tight on Seijuuro's shaft.

He had no idea why or how and he loved it. His arms were barely taking his weight, they were shaking so badly, but he wouldn't miss this, didn't want to—that messy brown head moving between his legs, muffled moans clearly heard and... He barely registered the fact that Kouki was touching his own hole with his fingers before he came, spilling in Furihata's mouth, growling with pleasure and his arms gave at that moment, but he didn't even realize it, so deep in pleasure he was.

When he finally came to—all sweaty and breathing so hard like he'd just run twenty miles—Seijuuro looked at Kouki and found him flushed and hiding his face, sitting in a very protective pose.

"What's the matter?" he asked and with a start, realized he was hoarse.

"I... couldn't... too much and..." He pointed at a wet stain on the cover. "I couldn't drink..."

He would laugh but knew that this would scare Kouki off like nothing else. So he just reached for him and forcefully, with a slightly trembling hand, forced him into a hug.

"It's okay..." he whispered, kissing the sweaty forehead gently. "I didn't expect you to swallow, especially since it was your first time." But then he chuckled. He was in such a good mood, he couldn't stop himself. "You completely surprised me, I could never tell you were this straightforward. And it really takes a lot to shock me."

"You're not mad?"

"Don't be daft, who would be?" His hand gripped his naked hip and caressed it. Furihata mewled, his head jerking back. "And I love the way you react to my touch..." he murmured into messy hair, feeling suddenly very sleepy and not able to give a damn about going to shower.

Kouki was also relaxed so much that they probably were on verge of sleep, so he dragged the drowsy boy a little back, so they could get under thin covers—both completely naked and enjoying the touch of flesh on flesh. Furihata mumbled something about too hot and moved around but pressed his back and ass firmly on Seijuuro's front, clearly wanting to be hugged from behind.

He was more than happy to oblige.

* * *

If someone asked Seijuuro how he usually behaved after a night with the person he kind of slept with, he would say that he usually kicked them out at the first possible moment, not wanting to ever see their face again. This time, though, he wanted to wake up with his arms full of Kouki, to sniff his hair and lay soft kisses over the nape of his neck and back, coerce him into a heated morning that would help their muscles stretch as much as possible.

No such luck. The thing that woke them both up was Kouki's cellphone ringing loudly. Furihata, mumbling something unintelligibly, reached for it and fumbled with it for a few seconds before pressing the button.

"Yeah? Mmm, a little... sleeping, yeah..." Then he moaned, but not in the nice, breathy way that Seijuuro wanted to hear, but with dread. "Do I really have to? Coach, I'm in Kyoto right now... What do you mean why? I'm... er... uh..." He looked at Akashi, who was watching him intently, and a cute blush appeared on his face. "I'm visiting a friend. You said we have today free!" When screeching on the phone started getting too loud, he moved the phone away from his ear a little. "Okay, okay. I'll be there, but not sooner than three hours. Wha- coach, I beg you..." he whined and let his head fall down. "You just woke me up. Show some mercy."

A few seconds later, he let the phone drop and hit his head on the pillow.

"You need to go?"

Akashi tried to keep his voice natural, but it was hard. He was annoyed.

"Yeah, coach wants us to do some special training today, even if she said we're free," he moaned and then rolled on his back and sat up. "I need to go and catch the first train possible, otherwise she'll skin me." Then Furihata looked down at himself and his blush came back. "Can I... ugh... take a shower somewhere?"

"Why? Are you sticky?" Seijuuro grinned with malice when Kouki's face got so red it started looking unhealthy. "It's the second door you see there." He waved his hand in the general direction of the bathroom. "There are fresh towels inside, so just use them."

There was a tense nodding of the head. Damn. Did they take a step back instead of forward? After all, this counted as serious cheating on that girl, no matter if Kouki didn't like her—Seijuuro supposed the boy could have some guilt issues.

And, sure enough, just as Furihata came out of the shower, fully clothed, with wet hair and a flushed look on his face, his first words were:

"I'm sorry, Akashi-san."

* * *

He had no idea why Akashi sighed and smiled sadly.

"It's okay. I pushed you too fast, I suppose."

Kouki's jaw dropped and only after few seconds was he able to shake his head.

"No, it's not about that!" Shit, he was starting to talk without any filter, picking up all of his stuff and doing everything but looking at his host. "I'm sorry that I have to go so early, I didn't know that coach was sure that we're going to press her into having a practice and not have a day off. It seems that when she spotted Hyuuga-senpai laying in his garden and laughing at some manga, she snapped. Shit, and I was happy to spend a day with you, but sorry, I have to go, catch a train, change into training clothes, and then catch a train to school. Three hours is the longest she gave me but I'm not sure I'll manage. Oh, if you want, er, that is... maybe come for dinner? Probably not, you'll want to rest a little, huh? No problem, it's been a long time since I dined with my landlord, so I'll just..."

"I'll come happily," said Akashi and Kouki almost stiffened, because something was telling him that wasn't the end of it. And he was right. "I'll come if you're going to look at me sometime today. I don't like you ignoring me like that."

Kouki was wrenching his fingers, trying to speak, but it was hard. He opened his mouth and then shut it, and did it again. After the third or fourth time, he actually got the courage to murmur:

"I'm not sure how... how to... that is..."

"Are you feeling awkward?"

His face was getting red, he was sure of it, but he risked a quick glance at Akashi. The boy was still naked, but covered with the thin sheet in a strategic place, but what was most important was his face—soft, understanding eyes and a gentle smile. He wasn't mad, wasn't judging him.

"A little... When I was with girls I knew what to do, now I'm just..." He coughed and scratched his neck. "I'm embarrassed?"

"You're asking me?"

"Er, no, I..." He groaned and stiffly sat beside Akashi, then leaned in and gently kissed him. "Is it okay?"

Warm, strong arms encircled his shoulders and soon Kouki found himself being embraced.

"It is more than okay. It's perfectly normal that you don't know how to react. And it's cute." He chuckled and kissed Furihata's temple. "Let me take a shower and I'll go with you and wait for you in your room, if that's not a problem."

"But... you'll be bored" he said, suddenly feeling both unsure and trying to stop himself from gripping his chest when something warm squeezed him.

"No. I wanted to read a book I've been neglecting for some time and at least at your place I'll have peace and quiet." Suddenly he grimaced. "That is, if that girl will not be there, also."

"Shimeno-kun? No, she won't be."

"Good. Although it's a shame you're still with her," he purred and leaned in, so he could bite Kouki's ear. Sparks of pleasure travelled from his ear down his body, setting it aflame with desire. "If you were single last night, we surely would have ended up having sex. I would love to fuck you... and you would love to have my cock up your ass."

He had to bite his mouth to stop himself from saying that he did break up with Shimeno almost a week ago, so they should forget about his coach and start with working on the cock up Kouki's ass part.

But Akashi was already standing up and going to the bathroom and Furihata couldn't stop himself from admiring how fit the boy was—quite short, but with nicely sculpted muscles on his arms, back, and even his ass clenched with every step. And those legs... With mortification Kouki realized he was getting hard.

He bolted up and started doing anything he could think of—from making up the futons, to once again checking his things, to looking around and reading the titles of the books Akashi had on his shelves. Suddenly, a hand appeared from behind him and pulled out a very large tome.

"I was talking about this one," a low tone whispered into his ear.

"Oh, okay..."

"So, ready?"

"Ye-yes!"

* * *

"Maaan, I'm beat!"

Gasping for air, Junpei let his shaking legs rest by plopping on the ground. For some reason, Riko had decided to keep third-years for one session more, letting the younger ones go home. He had to admit that at this moment, with all of his heart, he hated the short-haired girl that was bouncing and smiling happily. She was a demon—to make everyone get their asses to the gym on their day off. Especially since each and every one of them already had some plans.

She'd caught Izuki at the pool while he was helping his sister swimming. Teppei was with his grandmother at the hospital for some check-ups. Kuroko and Kagami, not very subtly, were found at Kagami's, and somehow the fact that an almost naked Kagami opened her door hadn't bothered the coach as much as the fact that the smaller boy was almost limping, wincing with pain at every move of his hips. Koganei was with his sister on a shopping spree and he was probably the only one who happily trotted in here. Furihata was in Kyoto visiting a friend and the same with Mitobe, who was on a date with one of his sister's friends. One of their first years, a very promising point-guard Shinnosuke, couldn't come since he was at his grandparent's in a place where there were only two trains by day.

And the temperature was ridiculously high, so they were sweating like pigs. Rolling on the floor he spotted something on the bench.

"Huh?" He looked at it and sighed. "That's Furihata's bag. The idiot forgot it."

Teppei looked at him with a weary smile.

"We can always take it to him. His house isn't so far from mine and I can always find a place for you all to sleep." When Hyuuga opened his mouth, Kiyoshi cut in. "We need to take care of our kouhai's and besides he probably will need his changing shoes. If he walks too long in training ones he could destroy them."

"I pass," moaned Izuki, rubbing his shoulder. "I passed too many balls and..." His eyes lit up and he started whispering. "That's it! I have to pass because of passes!"

"Seriously, Izuki, stop it," whined Koganei and Mitobe nodded. "I'm going home, taking a cold shower, and then I'll hide myself in a freezer for the next year."

"Mitobe?"

The boy shook his head. Probably wants to go and find this girl and apologize. Junpei wasn't surprised—he would tell Riko off for destroying a date but the difference was that he could talk.

"So, wanna run the whole way?" chirped Riko, definitely too happy. "Joking, joking. C'mon, gear up."

After the showers, the day was better—cold water made Junpei more alive and made him remember why he was here. Luckily, the train wasn't very packed and after three stops they got off. They listened to coach's idiotic tales about amazing training programs she'd invented while walking in the general direction of Furihata's house—but since they were basing it only on Teppei's memory of the place, he was more than sure they were going the wrong way.

The sound of a bouncing ball made them stop and look around. Junpei was feeling uneasy—the whole park was covered by bushes and he felt like someone could jump them and kill them all without even bothering to hide it. But the sound still made him smile, even if that was stupid.

"_Again?! That's unfair!_"

Wait, Junpei knew that voice.

"Isn't that Furihata-kun?" Riko was already going to the side, looking for what had to be a court somewhere there.

"That was him, right?" Teppei, the idiot, followed her and Junpei, being the only source of reason here, had to go after them and be prepared for just about anything. When he joined them, looking down from the bushes with wide eyes and a slack jaw, he felt a cold shiver go down his spine.

"What's going on?"

Riko croaked out some sound and pointed her finger down. So, yeah, the court was pretty worn-out and no actual game could be played there—the grass grew in the cracks of the pavement, there was only one hoop that looked like it had been planted there a century ago—and Furihata, all wet, was standing with a ball under his arm, looking quite pissed, but what...

"It's absolutely fair. Your dribbling skills are still abysmal."

Oh, that's why. His own jaw was going down. Akashi was standing there, sweating slightly and with a strange smile, that he never thought the boy could have.

"Your right leg is moving forward, while the left one is still grounded. That's why your reaction time is longer than mine."

"Shit, he's right," muttered Riko, taking out her phone.

"What are you doing?" he whispered with a shock.

"Taking notes. Shut up, I want to listen."

Rakuzan's captain was now kneeling in front of Furihata, moving his left leg up.

"You need to start moving it less high than you usually do and let your thigh muscles work more than your knees." His hand snuck under Furihata's shorts and Junpei wondered why.

"He's showing him which muscles," mumbled the girl and pulled at her hair. "Damn, why didn't I see that? He's going to ruin his knees if he goes like he is!"

Well, it didn't look much like showing muscles to him, especially with Furihata's bright red face, but he wasn't going to argue.

"You could just stop using your eyes..."

"No can do, Kouki. I hope I'll have the opportunity to play against you, so I want you to know how I usually play. Who knows, maybe you'll be able to pass me?"

Furihata chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, right. Passing you? Have I ever managed that?" He sighed and rubbed his head, looking quite shy. "I'm not that good, Akashi-san, I've told you from the start. There are better than me and we have a first year who's a better point guard than me."

Junpei wanted to go in there and smack the idiot on the head. He wasn't good? What's with that weakling talk?! He was perfect for hard games when the point-guard had to be cautious and not hot-headed like Shinnosuke or too focused on attack like Izuki. And even if he wasn't perfect it still...

"Maybe, but you're average which means you should be able to challenge me even a little. But you aren't. I wonder why. You're not trying your best, even though I am."

"It's just that your best is much better than my best. Akashi-san can we drop this and just go and eat dinner? I'm famished."

"Not until you stop me, even if for a second."

Furihata groaned and started dribbling the ball and looking around the ground.

"You do realize that as long as we're here I can't cook anything, so you'll be without food, also?"

"Oh, and what did you plan for today?"

"Dumplings, and they take some time to make."

"Salty?"

"Of course."

Akashi smiled and took a pose to stop Furihata.

"Then give it your all because I want to eat them."

One step forward, to the side, dribble, on the left, right, left... Junpei could say that the boy had gotten better, much better. His movements were swifter, faster, and the moment that Furihata started to be determined, he had a really great form and way of moving. Not to mention his face got quite scary.

"He's cool, no?" chuckled Teppei.

"Look!" Riko started tugging on Junpei's sleeve, with bright eyes. "He shifted his weight from his knees to his thighs! Unconsciously! Or maybe they got on this part before?"

"Yeah, yeah, just don't ruin my shirt," he mumbled and looked with awe as his usually clumsy kouhai was actually being able to pass one of the biggest basketball prodigies he ever saw.

Akashi's tried to intercept the ball, but Furihata—at the very last second—changed his route slightly, moving his feet to the right side and before Rakuzan's captain did steal the ball he made a few steps towards the basket.

"I'm so going to let him play at some games!" whispered Riko, in an unusually breathy voice.

"I suppose after all of that we need to thank Akashi-kun, huh?" Teppei looked like nothing surprised him, but it was obvious he was quite shocked.

Junpei nodded and looked back down at the boys on the court and suddenly an alarm in his head went off. Akashi was striking towards the suddenly stiff Furihata.

"Oi, he's going to hit...!"

His voice caught in his throat when Akashi hauled the other boy forward by his waist and kissed him. But the worst part was that Furihata didn't push him away and scream bloody murder—his fucking hands moved to Akashi's fucking shoulders and started tugging on the fucking shirt and the fucking moan was heard even in the fucking place they were at!

Junpei had seen many kissing scenes in his life—and he had to admit he had seen one or two gay ones (hey, he was just a teenager and had access to the internet!)—but this one was no joke. It looked damn serious. When he heard a choking sound his head moved and the sight made him almost laugh.

Riko's eyes were _huge_. She was staring at the boys (Akashi had his hands under Furihata's shirt at this moment) with a slack jaw and croaking some words that weren't that much coherent.

Luckily, Teppei was still there with them.

"I think we should go. Just leave Furihata-kun's stuff with his landlord and forget about it. It's not our business."

They dragged the half-comatose girl away and when they were safely in Kiyoshi's room, Junpei had had enough.

"Will you stop it? It's not like you've never heard about gays! You saw Kuroko and..."

"IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT!" she screeched, pulling at her hair, with tears—angry tears?—in her eyes. "THAT MEANS TWO OF MY PLAYERS WILL BE UNABLE TO TRAIN PROPERLY BECAUSE THEIR ASSES HURT TOO MUCH!"

* * *

**A/N:** _And with this let's end for today ^.^ Next chapter will give us some _serious_ moments and, no surprise here (?), lemons! Although personally I think the one I wrote in this chapter are the best of all I've written in English, no matter the pairing (though MidoTaka's hot scene in "It's annoying" – you can find it in my profile – is quite close!)._

_Enough of rambling. Now, please, review ^.^ I'm waiting each and every time for the reviews! Did you like the smut here? Or not? And what do you think about Kikune's story? Was it a shock? _

_Oh, and I DID made a freaking embarrassing mistake in the previous chapter! It's indeed HAYAMA not HAYAKAWA but I have no idea how to fix it, I've never did it before _;A;


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** _Sorry for delay! I had hectic time at work and was too tired to even open my laptop._

_To clear any misunderstanding – there is huge time difference between Riko's concerned shriek and this chapter, so nothing is amiss! Enjoy!_

* * *

Everything hurt. Especially his thighs—they were basically on fire, and so was his ass. Kouki took the sweat from his forehead with the back of the hand and tried not to limp too much. At this moment it was very important not to do so.

It was fifteen seconds to the end of the finals and he was standing opposite Akashi, who was smiling evilly, waiting for his mistake, which he would certainly make. But his eyes still lowered to a part of the body with concern, so he decided to use this, even if that was a very, very dirty trick.

Well, he supposed there wouldn't be much play in showing the hurt. Furihata had very bravely—and stupidly, according to coach who had screeched at him the whole timeout she took for them—tried to stop Eikichi from a dunk a minute before the time went up and ended up with the huge guy slamming him into the ground, ass down. And a foul, of course. He wouldn't be very surprised if he found blue bruises on his butt cheeks after the game. Well, it was his own fault, since he'd lost his reason for a second, being too overwhelmed.

Truth was—he didn't think he would be playing at all, especially not in finals. Coach had made him a starter for a few lesser games that weren't easy but still on his level, but this? Against Rakuzan? Against _Akashi_? He was prepared to cheer loudly for his team and, inside of his head, cheer a little for their opponent's captain. But Izuki sprained his ankle in the half-final game with Yosen and was benched for the next few weeks.

He was a starter in this game and after the first quarter, coach switched him with Shinnosuke – their very talented first-year point guard, who at least could pass the ball correctly.

"Try to calm down and stop panicking," coach told him when he was sitting on the bench with envy, and a little jealousy, observing the way the younger guy made it possible for Kagami to dunk for the fourth time in a row. "You're our trump card in this game, Furihata-kun." Yes, great way to make him sweat and panic even more. "You do realize that you have very rare sudden moves?"

"A what?" He stammered out, feeling like his teeth started clanking. He didn't know about it. Now that he knows what if he lost it? And he couldn't do anything?

"Sudden moves, something that's a great weapon against Akashi-kun. You change your mind in a split second and just go with it, without any preparations, which means he won't know what you'll do—should he watch your legs because you'll go to the left suddenly or should he watch your hand because you'll change the route? Do you understand?"

He laughed a little hysterically.

"Actually, no. I really don't."

"Just go with it, do what you want to do, and stop thinking about consequences. And focus. I know you can do it, I saw you like that. I'll let you in when the game will be near its end."

"I can't, coach," he whined. "I've never won against him, never. And I'm sure I won't do it now, since he plays on a whole other level."

He should've known she would hit him.

And now, standing against Akashi and looking frantically around, wondering what he should do, he decided to do this and somehow repay it to the boy later. He made a step forward, bouncing the ball and saw the exact moment heterochromatic eyes started moving to the side.

He gasped loudly and winced with pain, feeling extremely guilty when those beautiful eyes looked at him with concern, and passed the ball under Akashi's shoulder to Kagami who made a dash for the dunk.

Rakuzan's captain whirled on his feet, but Kouki was prepared for that and tried to block him with all he had, not realizing the pain right now was very real. With deadly grace, Akashi passed him, but it was already too late to stop Kagami, who—alongside Kuroko—tried to wait for the very last second to make a deciding shoot.

And they did, but while the whole team was cheering and he felt the urge to go with them, he had to apologize, even though walking was hard.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered and after seeing the murderous look on Akashi's face, he dashed forward, feeling like everything hurt, not only his body. The only thing he was glad of was that he made everyone believe his tears were tears of joy.

* * *

He was limping. Running half-assed and _limping_. That fucking wince and cry of pain were maybe a play, but not wholeheartedly, because Kouki was seriously hurt.

Seijuuro was furious. He wanted to smash Eikichi's face into something hard and watch him bleed to death. He should know how to fall without injuring anyone else, they practiced that often.

"Oi, Akashi!" The idiot in question was telling him something about getting in the line, but when he glared at him, he flinched. "What? What did I do? That whole game wasn't my fault!"

"Ah, you just injured his sweetheart~" Reo butted in, standing between Eikichi and Akashi, as a buffer. "I suggest you apologize to the kid or Sei-chan will be mad."

"He fouled me! And I didn't see him before it was..." He gulped. "Okay, okay. I'll apologize. Will you stop glaring at me then?"

He tried to smile, but knew it was a failure.

"I will take it under consideration. Where is Kotarou?"

Reo made a disgusted face and pointed at the blond who was screaming something about "licking off his pain" to a very mortified Miyaji. He supposed tomorrow they would have a funeral to attend if the murderous aura around Shuutoku's ex-player was anything to go by.

When they were standing in line, he tried not to look at Kouki or he might really do something reckless. Furihata had to be supported by Kagami and the red-haired menace was muttering something about seeing doctor later. So to avoid looking at the boy in front of him he looked up and scowled when he spotted Kikune, who was clapping with enthusiasm, with a flushed face and huge grin.

Of course the fucker would be happy to see him lose. Of course...

He was going to find Kouki after that and take him to his family doctor, so he could be treated like he deserved, but he felt a cold shiver going down his spine, when his phone rang and on the screen there was only one thing: _Father._

* * *

"...and your knees are in bad shape, but I suggest you take it easy for the next few weeks and everything should be fine. Take this medicine, three times a day, with a meal. Oh, and... er, you're a coach?"

The doctor was very nice, Kouki had to admit. He wasn't pushing him around and his touch wasn't painful, even though the injury hurt like hell. He was barely walking at this point. Aida, who was standing beside him, nodded.

"Yes, I am. Should he be excused from training?"

"Not exactly excused, but I suggest only the pool for him for the next two weeks and running is banned for at least a month, but some light stretching should be okay." Then he smiled teasingly and coughed. "And you'll be relieved, boy, after I tell you that you can enjoy your sexual life just fine. But try not to tire your thigh muscles too much."

A red-faced Kouki almost jumped on his coach when they walked away from the doctor's office. He was even more embarrassed than when Eikichi was apologizing to him.

"Why would he say that?"

Aida smacked him upside the head, looking both mortified and furious.

"Because you have fucking love bites all over your thighs!" she hissed and then sighed. Oh, shit, he didn't know! So, yes, Akashi had played with him a lot down there the day before but he was sure it was just kissing or licking... "But I won't say anything, since it was you who won the game for us."

He blushed and looked to the side.

"No, that was Kagami-kun and Kuroko-kun."

"But you created a great opportunity for them and stopped someone who could stop us. That's really something." She smiled and patted him on the arm. "And you played great for all of the games! Be prepared to play even more in Winter Cup!"

The whole team was happy for him, that his injury wasn't anything serious, and they decided to go and eat something (this time prepared with money). Kouki was tagging along at the rear, feeling really bad. Then his hand moved forward and he grasped Kuroko's jersey.

"Yes, Furihata-kun?"

He still wasn't ready to look up into those judging blue eyes, so he was observing his moving feet.

"Did I do wrong?"

"No. It was Akashi-kun's choice to look at you and not at the ball, he didn't have to fall for your play. And he knows that basketball is mostly a psychological game. He won't blame it on you."

Kouki bit his lip and felt the tears coming back to his eyes.

"But he didn't wait for me, like he always does. He isn't replying to my messages and won't answer my phone calls..."

A small, warm hand patted his head and when he looked up Kuroko was smiling at him gently and so was Kagami.

"It'll be okay, Furihata." The red-haired guy shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe he just needs to cope with the fact that he lost."

"Or something unexpected happened, so wait for tomorrow and then start to worry, okay?"

He smiled, trying to cheer himself up. It'll be okay. This time it surely will be! With a new hope he sent a message he wouldn't think of a month ago: "_When you're able, contact me. It's urgent._"

* * *

"So..." Seijuuro's father was keeping his hands on the desk, but they were twitching slightly. Meaning he was furious. "You lost. Again."

"Yes, father."

"You do remember our talk since last year? That I won't let you play if you're going to lose?"

He smiled, trying to act gentle and sure of himself, even if under the facade he was shaking with fury.

"Of course, father. But I would like to remind you that my team got to semi-finals, which is something..."

"I talked about winning, not being second best!" snapped the man, his fists clenching. "You're a disgrace, Seijuuro."

"I apologize."

But his father wasn't finished.

"With each and every day you start to look and behave more and more like your mother!"

"How would I know? I don't even know what she looks like," he said in a cold voice, the anger getting the best of him.

The man snorted with disgust.

"And it was the best for you! To see such a slut and gold-digger like her around would be devastating for your already fragile mind. Last year I seriously thought about finding a good psychiatrist for you, but you got better. But lately your goals seem to have changed." Which meant his state of mind was less important than his achievements. "Is it because of this boy?"

Something ugly started seeping through his barriers. Kikune told his father. His father knew and was going to try and separate him from Kouki.

"No. I tried my best to win, my opponents were just better. Just like last year." Then he smiled. "And if you're concerned about Furihata, then you should know that my chemistry grades are rising only thanks to his tutoring."

The moment his father's face hardened, he knew it was a tactical mistake. Huge mistake.

"A son of the Akashi family doesn't need a tutoring from some village boy!" He roared and slapped a hand on the desk, making a few of the things topple. "If you had some problems—which you shouldn't!—you were to go to Airi and tell him!"

And that was it. He knew it. Seijuuro felt his blood run cold, his mind was getting hazy with the fury and adrenaline.

"And why would I?" He barely recognized his voice, so velvety, so low and dangerous. A creepy smile appeared on his face, of that he was aware. His father's eyes narrowed. "I'm not going to inherit the company, so why should I be the best at everything? Your plaything is going to be all of this and isn't he perfect?" He laughed at the slight jump his father made. "You thought I didn't know that Kikune made his way to the company through your bed? Of course I knew." He chuckled darkly and cocked his head to the side, scrutinizing the man in front of him. A man, who suddenly went pale and was averting his eyes. "I only wonder if you started fucking him while he was still sixteen or did you wait until he reach twenty?"

"What... What are you talking about?" The shock in his father's voice was music to his ears.

"Why? Did you think I didn't know that he used me to get to you and take over the company?" He smiled even wider and laughed when his father's seat screeched, when he leaned back. "Was I a tool to him, just as you are? Did you really fall for his pretty face and round ass? I thought you would be too wise to enter a midlife crisis with a male prostitute, who wanted the whole power for himself."

Some kind of strength came back into his father's eyes.

"Don't talk about Airi like that, Seijuuro! What's going on with you? Is it that boy?"

"Leave Kouki out of this," he snarled. "You have your fucktoy, so why you should be interested in mine? In two years, I'm going to get the hell out of here and then we can forget about each other, so for two years we need to keep it calm. Scandal would be bad for the company, no?"

Power. He felt it in every cell of his body and he couldn't stop laughing every time his father flinched or got paler and paler.

"Seijuuro, you misunderstand..." he said in a hoarse whisper, his neatly trimmed silvery-black hair falling on his high forehead, even darker eyes looking everywhere but at him. Looking at him like that, Seijuuro supposed Kikune didn't have that bad of a job to do—his father could be seen as attractive. Even more reasons to hate the bastard.

"Did I? I don't think so." He walked closely to the desk and leaned over it, hovering over the man's face, creepy mask clinging to him tightly. "You never let me see my mother, never cared for me, everything was always about my grades or skills, like a robot you wanted to be perfectly programmed. Always hanging around with those sluts that were after your money and looked at me like I was dirt under their shoes. And then Kikune, who used me and you let him do so happily. I despise both of you with all my heart, make no mistake about that. All I want is to get through those two years, or exactly year and half, with peace. But if you're going to try and do something with it or with Kouki I will publish the pictures of you and Kikune having fun. Believe me, I have plenty of them. Now that would be quite a scandal, no? Rightful heir being disinherited in favor of the CEO's pretty plaything. And this is what Kikune will be known for from this point onwards—Akashi's pretty plaything, even when he himself will be the CEO."

His father now looked like a bag of potatoes thrown at the chair, so he knew he won. With a victorious smile, he turned around and walked to the door but paused at the doorstep.

"Oh, by the way, father. In case something crazy like disposing of me will go through your mind I'm prepared for it. And you really don't want to know what will happen after my death."

He looked back and his grin got even bigger when he saw true fear and shock on the man's usually proud and serious face.

When he got to his room and took out a cellphone he gaped when he saw that he had eight calls from Kouki and over fifteen messages. He looked at the last one and dialed without thinking.

* * *

When his phone started ringing Kouki almost jumped and his stomach clenched nervously when he saw Akashi's name on the screen. He'd been waiting for this call for the last five hours and now that it happened he didn't know what to do.

"Y-yes?" he whispered, feeling so nervous it was nauseating.

"Kouki, what happened?"

"Huh?"

"You called me so many times and there are lots of messages. Did something happen?"

He bolted up and started walking in a funny way, just to ease the tension.

"No, no... I just... Akashi-san I want to apologize, so, so much!"

There was a silence on the other side that was quite unnerving. Did he totally ruin that?

"For what?" He was... surprised? It sounded that way.

"For deceiving you like that and that was a dirty act, to take your focus off of the ball and..."

Akashi laughed. It was a nice and rare laugh, full of joy and happiness.

"Kouki, you never cease to amaze me! I was sure something really serious happened and..." He chuckled and controlled his amusement. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh this hard. It was just a game and you won. If I want to blame it on someone, I'm going to blame myself. I didn't have to look at you, even though I'm still worried. Did you see a doctor?"

His relief was so huge that he felt his legs giving in and plopped on the bed, smiling like mad.

"I was so worried you were mad since you didn't wait for me and didn't reply..."

"Ah, I had something to do with my father. It's not important, but was urgent. Now tell me—your legs?"

"They're fine. I just need to take it easy, I'm bruised in few places, mostly on my ass. The doctor said I'll have hematoma on my left butt cheek, which will make sitting quite painful." He laughed a little. "My own fault, really. I shouldn't try to steal the ball from a guy almost twice my size."

"Don't exaggerate. He just didn't remember how to fall without injuring anyone."

Kouki rolled on his stomach and put a pillow under chin.

"Oh, but Eikichi-san actually apologized to me. He said that if he knew I was there he would do something to fall on the other side or something. Is that even possible?"

"Of course it is. Do you want me to come tomorrow?"

And that was it. He'd fantasized about this quite a lot, what he would say if such a question came up, what he would do, how he would act... But none of this included his hurting stomach, blood pounding in ears, and the stuttering that came out of his clenched throat:  
"M-m-maybe come today?"

He closed his eyes, feeling almost ill with nerves, when Akashi replied.

"Okay, but I won't be too long, since I need to get back and you need to sleep."

He almost moaned with frustration. Why didn't he get it?! Wasn't he supposed to be a genius?

"I... I mean..." He swallowed and rolled to the side, hugging his stomach with a pillow. "Stay the night?"

"The girl?" The answer was immediate.

"We broke up over a week ago. I wanted to tell you after the finals as a surprise..."

There was a long silence and he started biting his nails waiting for reply. If he declined, Kouki wasn't sure he would be able to recover from it.

"I'll be there in less than two hours."

He almost melted—both with relief and at the husky voice Akashi started using. He only hoped his abused butt could take it.

* * *

For a split second, Seijuuro was sure that his father would do something stupid like try to stop him. The old man was standing on the porch and looking at him with weary eyes, while talking to Kikune, who was telling him something in a hushed voice, with a strained face, clearly bothered by something. Good. Maybe he made his father realize that he was dancing right by Kikune's music.

The moment he left Kyoto made him sigh with content—he was on his way to Kouki and it was very hard to conceal arousal. It was an invitation. A very clear one. And the excitement and fear in Furihata's voice was telling him that this time it wouldn't end with just blowjobs—no matter how good that was. Briefly, he wondered if Kouki had found all the markings he made on him last night—it was great fun and they were in such strategic places that he probably was going around without realizing his thighs were covered with love bites.

This time, though, he would have to be careful. Eikichi was a huge guy and once, taken completely by surprise, he was pushed to the side by the guy (an accident caused by Reo) and he could barely remain on his legs. And that was just a slight shove. God only knows just what kind of injuries Kouki had, besides his ass hurting. Seijuuro wasn't that horny or desperate for him as to hurt him.

He stopped the car two streets from his destination point and told the chauffeur to go back, since he would be back by train. Feeling anxious and slightly nauseous—something that didn't happen often—he ran up the stairs, smiling to the landlord along the way, who said that Kouki was limping slightly, so he'd better take care of him.

Furihata opened the door and smiled nervously.

"I didn't know if you would come."

"Of course I would, don't be silly." He took off shoes and followed the limping boy to the room. "What exactly did the doctor say?"

"I already told you. That..."

"I know, but the bruising?"

"Oh, that. It'll vanish in about two weeks or so. Eikichi-san is just... well, quite heavy. Besides it was my fault to start with."

Seijuuro snorted.

"That's true, but he shouldn't have fallen on you, like I mentioned earlier." He sat on the bed. "Show it to me."

A heavy blush appeared on boy's face and he took a shaky step back.

"Ex-excuse me?"

"Show me your injury. I want to see that everything is fine for myself."

"I-i-it's on my... you know, on my..."

"Your ass, yes, I know." He chuckled at seeing Furihata's anxiety. "Come on, Kouki, I won't eat you."

Despite those words, his blood started rushing south the moment shaking hands started undoing the button in front of the pants. His heart was hammering inside his chest and his mouth watered when the pants came down and he saw that he wasn't the only one excited by this situation. The thin material of the boxers was clearly tented.

"Turn around and take them off" he whispered, not believing how low and rough he sounded. Kouki started shaking but he obeyed and soon Seijuuro clearly saw the bruise. The smooth flesh on his butt cheeks was a violent red with purple spots in one place, smaller than he imagined, but still big enough to make his blood boil with rage. He was going to hurt Eikichi at the first moment possible.

His hand moved forward and softly touched the hurt part. He saw a shiver go through the boy.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, but he never took his hand back because his wrist was caught by Kouki's fingers. He looked up and saw only red ears, the boy's head was bowed and he was so tense it made him realize that this...

"It didn't hurt..."

It was all he had to hear, before his free hand gripped Furihata's hips and pulled him closer, between his legs. His palm touched the warm globes, caressing them and fondling - one cheek hard, the other softly, so he wouldn't hurt the boy. Slowly, so slowly, his thumbs were getting closer and closer to the cleft, briefly dipping there every now and then. Each and every time it did made Kouki take a sharp breath in.

Seijuuro leaned in and kissed the abused flesh, enjoying the gasp it tore out of the standing boy. His tongue darted out and started circling around the purple bruises.

"Akashi-san..."

"Hmmm?" he hummed, while licking and nipping at the right cheek, while his left thumb was now firmly between Kouki's cheeks, moving up and down, teasingly stopping at the entrance, but brushing past it.

His left hand moved forward and touched trembling cock. Furihata cried out and thrust his hips forward, enhancing the friction. This made Seijuuro's head light with arousal.

"On the bed. Now. Hips up" he croaked out, shoving him slightly in that direction, before taking his own shirt off with haste.

Kouki didn't wait, didn't even hesitate—he almost fell, hid his face on the pillow, and stuck ass into the air.

Greedily Seijuuro launched forward and bit the right cheek harshly, his fingers moving down, under Kouki, to tease the boy's leaking cock. With excitement, he observed how Furihata's hands were grasping the sheets, his fingers clawing and trembling.

"You're breathtaking," he murmured, looking at the sprawled boy in front of him. Then Kouki looked back at him and moaned, once again closing his eyes.

That moment was so powerful that Seijuuro felt like it paralyzed him. His heavy-lidded eyes were teary, so full of desire, it was making his head spin.

"Kouki..." he groaned and moved down to kiss the boy's entrance, marveling at the shiver that went through both of their bodies. His tongue was teasing soft skin, slightly dipping in. His hand was fingering the sensitive head of Kouki's cock. And his mind was only set on giving pleasure, on the love he truly felt for the other boy. He wanted him so much, to have him as close as he could, to touch, kiss, lick...

Suddenly a jolt of pleasure shot through him and he moaned into Furihata's ass. With surprise, he looked down and saw the boy's foot awkwardly touching his crotch, concentrating on the hard muscle. He slicked his finger and placed it on Kouki's entrance. Just like he predicted, his lover started swaying his hips, trying... oh, god, trying to take the finger in.

"Please, Akashi-san... please, please..."

* * *

Kouki felt like he was in heaven, his head was light and he could only feel. He wanted Akashi in, now, right now. The pad of his finger was teasing him, he wanted it in so badly... He pressed his foot and smiled when he heard gasp. He was making Akashi Seijuuro gasp with pleasure. That knowledge was a bigger turn-on than anything else.

Suddenly there was pressure and something slipped inside him easily and only the friction made the burn appear.

"Wait... I need to..." He looked back and almost moaned once again. Akashi was a sight to behold. His hair ruffled, forehead sweaty, gorgeous eyes almost glowing with desire, mouth pressed firmly and faint flush on his face. And his chest was naked...

Kouki moved slightly forward and turned around, wincing when he sat on the hurt arse cheek, but immediately forgot about it when their mouths clashed, tongues darting out to meet. Akashi pushed him back and groaned into Furihata's mouth when short nails raked his back. Kouki couldn't help himself touching the boy, his strong shoulders, nicely sculpted sides and firm ass...

"Stop this or we won't get anywhere," Akashi breathed into his ear.

"It's okay..." he murmured and kissed the other boy, moving his hips up and down, rubbing all over him. "Just don't stop, please, don't stop..."

Akashi moaned and Kouki opened his mouth wide for his lover's tongue. It was exquisite—slippery muscles entwined, making Furihata's body hum with pleasure and desire. He wanted Akashi so much. He wanted him close, wanted him hot and buried deep inside, fucking him raw...

"Seriously, Kouki, stop," moaned the boy. "If you say one more word..."

He didn't know what he was saying (was he saying anything?) but if his words had such an effect on Akashi, he was willing to continue.

"Why?" he murmured, letting his legs move upwards and ankles crossing more on Akashi's shoulders than waist. "I like whatever you're doing..."

* * *

He was going to be the death of him. Seijuuro had never felt such desire, such raw need to take, to touch. Kouki's hands moved down and his hand palmed the hard muscle through his trousers. Keeping them on was a bad idea, now he was so hard it hurt.

Furihata smiled into his mouth and opened the button, then the zipper, taking everything as low as he could, making him shiver with relief and arousal when smart fingers slid over sensitive flesh. He hummed with pleasure and thrust his hips, sliding his cock over the warm palm.

"I..." small whisper was heard and Seijuuro looked down at the messy, flushed, and heavily panting boy.

"Yes?"

He looked uncertain, his eyes trying to look into Seijuuro's, but something made him avoid the eye contact.

"Can I... lick you?"

The dizziness that he felt wasn't even funny—his whole body was on fire and he was so close... So close that he had to do something to stop or else he wouldn't be of any use. Like Kouki mumbling he wants to be fucked raw wasn't enough.

"Not now, I won't last if you do so," he explained in a low, rough voice. He smirked and snuck a hand down on the outside, stroking warm flesh along the way, until his fingers touched puckered skin. "But we can do something else, if you want to."

Kouki's response made him so shocked he didn't know what to do for a second. The boy moaned a loud "_yes_", then kissed him with a passion, wriggled his ass so not only were their cocks sliding over each other, but also his finger was now touching the furiously twitching hole.

"You slutty little thing..." Seijuuro leaned close to whisper obscene words into Kouki's ear, enjoying the thrashing under him. "Do you want my finger inside your pretty ass? I will slide it in dry, making you feel the pressure that you'll forget once I find your tender spot..." He took the boy's earlobe in his mouth and sucked on it, teasing the soft skin with his tongue, then releasing it, to say more, while his pad started digging into Kouki's ass. "Can you feel it? I'm going in and out, slowly, without hurry... You're so shameless, wanting me after just a few kisses. I wonder if you'll suck me in once I stick my dick inside… I'm sure your ass is as wanton as the rest of you."

Panting Kouki was a breathtaking sight—his heavily-lidded eyes, heavy blush, and the clear want on his face were making Seijuuro want to possess him entirely. He took out his finger and before Furihata could even whine, he pushed two fingers inside his mouth.

"Yes, suck them like that..." he whispered, gasping when the hot, wet mouth took his fingers in and clever tongue started caressing them. He begin moving his fingers slightly in and out, wanting to feel smooth lips sliding over them and enjoy the view.

Light brown eyes were now barely looking at him, so engrossed in the task the boy was, his cock twitching under Seijuuro.

"I'm going to fuck you and make you scream so loud the whole building will know what we're doing," he growled out, barely recognizing his voice. "Do you want my dick inside of you?" With fingers still fucking his pretty mouth Kouki moaned wantonly and never stopped the sway of his hips, his heat seeping into Seijuuro's body, setting him aflame. "You want it so much, huh?" he panted out.

Then, feeling totally at ease with the world he spat at his free hand and put all the slime all over Furihata's twitching hole. Then he took his fingers out of the hot mouth and smeared wetness over his cock.

"Brace yourself," he whispered and kissed his lover, at the same time sliding in, in one, powerful thrust.

* * *

It burned, it hurt. Kouki gasped loudly and tried to get away from the burning inside of him.

"It hurts, pull out," he sobbed, looking into Akashi's eyes. "It hurts..."

Akashi smiled gently and kissed him lightly.

"In a minute it won't. Trust me."

And before he could answer the boy on top of him moved. Kouki bit his lip as to not scream in pain. It hurt! Akashi's pace was fast, furious, hard... And along with the pain, there came pleasure, exquisite, like nothing he'd felt before. His body arched and he moaned, completely forgetting about the pain, thinking only about the pleasure. It was glorious. Akashi was glorious.

"So good..." he groaned out.

"Told you..." half-laughed the boy and slowed down the pace a little. "You got... used to it..."

He nodded, opening his eyes only to look into heavily-lidded, gorgeous eyes that were eating him alive.

"More..." he whined, moving his hips, smiling slightly when he felt Akashi deeper, pressing on the prostate, which made him almost see stars. It felt so good, such pleasure, Akashi so heavy on him, his body hot and hard muscles on his own...

His hand moved up to tangle in magenta-colored hair and he smiled when he saw Akashi's eyelids drop even lower, his pupils glowed. Still moving his hips, meeting his lover's passionate thrusts, Kouki propped himself on his elbows and kissed the boy, mewling into his mouth, their tongues frantically sliding over each other.

"Kouki... Kouki..." Akashi's voice was low and thick with desire, his moves frantic and speeding up. "Lie on your back, you little slut, or I will stop fucking you" he growled in such a threatening tone that it made Kouki actually fall down, his muscles trembling and mind hazy. This accidentally harsh movement made Akashi slip out of him and he didn't even realize how loud he whined with loss and started moving his hips like he wanted to take the cock inside himself.

Akashi cursed and rammed back inside. Kouki could only moan with happiness, take the pleasure, feeling his arsehole once again burning with the speed Akashi took, but it was so good, so good, so full, so dirty, he wanted more, more, faster, harder...

"More..." he sobbed out, his head falling back. He couldn't find a place for himself, he couldn't event think, but there was something building down in his belly and he couldn't find a way to let this out. It was making him restless, hot and more Akashi, more of him, he wanted more. "Faster, Akashi, fuck me faster, harder, break me, oh... ah, mwah, aaah, harder... I beg you, harder..."

He was crying at this point, but he wanted more and more.

"You're mine, do you hear me?" barked out his lover, tugging harshly at his hair, biting the shoulder painfully but it was a glorious pain, one that was making him feel more and more. "I won't... ah, let you go after this. Aah... You're mine, Kouki. Fucking mine."

His back was pressed into the mattress, his ass being pounded all over again, his fingers raking Akashi's shoulders, his voice calling him out and that was right, that was perfect, that was love, that was dirty fucking, and Kouki wouldn't have it any other way.

"Mwah... ah... oh, god, Akash..." He opened his eyes for a moment and when he saw the feral grin on his lover's twisted face something inside of him broke. "Aaaah, yes, yes, yes... Seijuuro, yes, please, I beg, ahhh... yyych..." His breath caught in his throat and he came so hard, he didn't even know what was happening anymore.

* * *

When Kouki called his name Seijuuro—who was already keeping himself from coming only by the sheer force of will to make the boy under him climax first—groaned and his pace broke, making his thrusts sloppy, and in the end he was only grinding, spilling inside of the hot flesh.

After his mind cleared a little, Seijuuro looked down at the clearly both shocked and sated Kouki, who was still breathing heavily. His hands were caressing Akashi's waist, but he wouldn't meet his gaze.

With a sigh, Seijuuro leaned down and kissed his lover—he liked the sound of this, especially "his" part—enjoying the immediate and passionate response.

"Mmm... That was good," he whispered and smiled gently, looking down at the blushing boy. Slender arms, lazy with that typical afterglow slowness—but also with unnatural cautiousness—encircled his neck and pulled him down for another kiss. Seijuuro opened his mouth slightly, letting the tips of their tongues touch in a caress. "I'm not going to run away or dispose of you, so be at ease," he murmured, pressing their torsos against each other and nipping at the skin under Kouki's ear.

"You're so hot..." mumbled the boy and Akashi smiled widely into his lips.

"Why, thank you."

"No, I mean, your body is warm. I mean! You are hot as in handsome or beautiful, definitely, but... Why are you laughing?"

Seijuuro was chuckling with amusement—he really chose well.

"Nothing, nothing, I was just... Never mind. I just like you."

Kouki looked at him with a shy and adorable smile.

"I like you, too. Lo-love, I think," he ended with a slight tripping over the word that made something beautiful blossom in Seijuuro's chest. Something that made him hug the boy closer to himself.

"Are you hurting anywhere?" he asked after some time of comfortable silence.

"No. Actually, no." He looked both shocked and surprised. "It hurt at the, er, beginning, but after few moves I didn't even remember it."

Seijuuro smiled and nodded.

"Mmm, this is how it works, usually. Now, hold on..."

* * *

The feel of Akashi slipping out of him was pretty uncomfortable—just like Kudoh-san said it could happen, but he mostly disliked the loss of the hot skin and weight on him. His body, of its own accord, followed the other boy's and snuggled into him.

Somehow it was hard to comprehend what happened. They just had sex, fully and to the very end. He should feel different but the only thing that was different was the slight burning in his backside and...

"I, er..." He blushed like mad, trying to explain what he needed to do. "I need to go to the loo."

Akashi nodded with understanding and just closed his eyes. Kouki trotted to the loo and felt his face getting hot when something started dripping out of his ass and—just like he was warned—inevitably, there was another thing that wanted to come out.

"This is so embarrassing," he moaned into his hands. He supposed he could hold it all in for a few minutes, he didn't have to go like that, but the sheer thought of any accidents because he loosened himself up for too long... Kudoh-san said that after some time you get used to it and either you're the type who needs to go immediately or you learn to lay with it, sometimes even for hours. One way or another, anal sex without a condom (shit, they forgot about that) was one of the best kinds of enema.

While washing under the shower with a slight smile, he hugged himself, marveling at the warmth the lovemaking left him with. Akashi was so passionate, so wild, so hot... And he loved him, truly. Kouki could feel this and his chest was swelling with joy. He hadn't been this happy since... since they won last year's Winter Cup, he supposed. And even that was a different type of happiness.

Feeling quite shy, he stepped out of the bathroom and found Akashi sitting on the bed and reading something on his phone, while frowning.

"Is everything alright?" he whispered. Not sure what to do, he was standing in front of the bed, trying not to stare too much at the boy's gorgeous body. Well, once red and gold eyes looked up at him he didn't have that problem. They were captivating.

"No, just a little inconvenience, but nothing I can't fix once I get back home." He closed the phone and reached for Kouki's hand, to pull him close. "Why're you just standing there?"

"I'm not sure..." he started but was stopped by firm lips taking over his own. Before he knew it, he was lying on his back and opening his mouth for Akashi's, sticking his greedy tongue inside the other's mouth and smiling when he was playfully biting him.

"I feel so good with you..." whispered Akashi after some time. Their limbs were tangled, their lips puffy from the kissing and Furihata was feeling his arousal coming back, but at this moment they were only caressing each other, hands all over their arms and backs, their foreheads touching.

"Me, too..." he mumbled and leaned in for another kiss. "I really like you, Akashi-san. I really do."

He felt the boy's smile on his lips and even if something was still bothering him, Kouki knew that they would be alright.

* * *

**A/N:** _JFC I'm so sappy… But no worries! The problems still aren't sorted out – who knows who was texting Akashi and what kind of troubles it'll make? Serious matters in next, last, chapter!_

_Yup, we're getting close to the end. So read and review as long as you can ^.^_


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** _And with this long chapter we're finishing! I was playing a little with the idea of slicing it into two chapters but since I couldn't find a good place to cut we have one chapter ^.^ In this one Akashi is… well, some may say not like himself, but while writing it I had in mind the fact that he _is_ barely a seventeen-year-old kid and some things are still out of his reach, no matter how mature he may appear. I hope I did it right…_

_Okay, enough of my rambling – that will come in the end notes xD_

* * *

"So what was so important?"

His tone of voice probably should be more firm but after doing it for the second time with Furihata in the morning (who claimed he was never done horse riding, even though he was riding Seijuuro like a pro), he was too tired to stand his father's idiocy.

They were once again in his father's study, the only difference being the time of a day—it was barely eight in the morning and Seijuuro wanted nothing more than to crawl into his bed and happily dream about Kouki's heated body and beautiful cries.

"After our last talk I had a little confrontation with Airi."

The man was completely in control of himself but there was something about him that was unsettling.

"I really don't care about your love life," he said in disgusted tone.

"You have leverage on us, I must admit, but he decided that he doesn't care and that you should know a few things."

"And you still believed him. Didn't you understand what I told you? He's using you just as he was using me."

His father sighed and stood up, then walked into the attached room. Still feeling a little anxious—Kikune had to have been lying about not caring about the pictures he threatened them with—Seijuuro followed the older man and sat himself on one of the chairs. He'd been in this room only a few times in his life—it was the conference room his father used when he met with important business clients.

"Do you want something to drink? Tea? Coffee? Or maybe something to eat?"

"No, I already had breakfast."

Nice play, that was something new. He decided to talk as little as possible and see how it would turn out.

"I'm going to talk with you as the grown-up person I suppose you became, even though your last action was quite childish. I must admit you played your cards well, but you still lack subtlety and try to force your way in, which is not good. But that's not important right now." Childish? Force? Seijuuro didn't have the patience and time to play cat and mouse with the old fool and his pretty plaything. Still, he didn't say a word and waited until the man made himself a cup of coffee and sat down. Seijuuro still felt on alarm, there was something uncomfortable about the whole situation, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "Your words did make me think and I sniffed around here and there to try and understand Airi's motives, even though I do believe him."

"Of course you do," he sneered, not even trying to hide his sarcasm.

The man nodded, completely ignoring his tone and looked into his eyes without a trace of doubt.

"It was probably my fault that we were trying to hide everything and I never talked to you about this. I suppose many times you thought me a hypocrite." He only raised an eyebrow in mockery. Why was he talking to him like he was a kid? Wasn't he supposed to treat him as an adult - like previously stated? "I'll start with the accusation that was... well, the most hurtful for you, I suppose. Something that I should tell you years ago. The reason I never let you see your mother is that it wouldn't serve you well."

"Don't you remember all those lovers you had here for years?" He said calmly, suddenly wishing for tea, so he could do something with his hands. The topic of his mother was always pretty touchy. "They all were gold-diggers."

His father nodded.

"Yes, but they also had their usage and no, I'm not talking about this kind of use. I'll get to it later. Your mother was chosen by my parents and we were engaged to be married." Seijuuro blinked. He didn't know this. "I... quite liked Eiko—that was her name. She was gorgeous and very lady-like on the surface, but happy and sunny on the inside. I enjoyed her company, though I didn't love her."

"This is why you never married her?"

He'd always wanted to know something about his mother. First thing he did when he was given an allowance was hire a private detective to find something about her, but the man found nothing. A few times, Seijuuro wondered if he was spotted and out paid by his father, who right now was looking quite solemn.

"She cheated on me. Repeatedly. It came out that she was addicted to sex and I wasn't enough for her." He shrugged and took a sip of his coffee, all the time looking at Seijuuro, who was shocked to the core of his being. He'd built an image of a mother in his mind. In his mind, she was a good and nice girl whom his father used and then discarded of, even if he was telling everyone the most probable truth he was hearing since childhood—that she was a gold-digger. "I broke off our engagement, but later she come to me saying she was pregnant. I detested her at this point and told her to go and find the father, since it's impossible to say who the father is. In case, you're wondering, you _are_ my son, I checked after you were born. Our DNA match." Suddenly, he found himself sighing with relief.

"Then you did kick her out after she give birth to me?"

His father smiled crookedly.

"No, actually I took her in. I wanted to try again, especially because I..." He coughed and looked to the side. "I loved you since the moment you were born. I'm not a man who's easy with his emotions and... and this is why I wanted you to have a mother."

"Then why isn't she here?" he demanded, wholly ignoring the expression of love that made him feel uneasy and quite... weak.

"Because she's at the hospital," the man whispered. "In the mental ward, since she tried to murder me in my sleep, screaming that I'm responsible for the loss of her legs when she was a child. She suffers from a high mental disorder and has a split personality, addiction to sex was only a by-product of the illness. Something I was seriously afraid you took after her," he added in a choked voice and dropped the entire act of being calm. This was what made Seijuuro feel uneasy. All this time his father was _acting_. And now, now he was shaken and this was no act, he could tell. Once he realized this, the whole atmosphere changed and his anger disappeared. "When you started to smile like her in that... that creepy way, when you started to look at me like you wanted nothing more than to kill me, when I started to hear about the pressure you put on your teammates, I was scared. Eiko lost her mind so quickly because she was always spoiled by her parents, she could do everything, she had nothing to hold to. I was trying to keep you in line, put pressure on you to do other things, to make your mind stable. And I found someone who was a good friend and something close to good parental figure to you."

"Kikune," murmured Seijuuro, massaging his temples. His mother was insane. And he could be, too. He knew how much insanity travels in bloodline, statistically, and decided to go and check himself before he'd ever decide to get even closer with Kouki. And he'd have to tell him. But how? In what way as to not make him leave him? The sheer thought of that made him feel a slight panic.

"Yes, Airi. He took a liking to you and I thought that he was going to keep an eye on you, since he was a good kid and a very intelligent one with high empathy." He smiled gently and sighed. "He was much more to you. Repeatedly, I argued with him about you and the things you should have or not. Horse riding was his idea, just as shogi training and basketball. If it were up to me, you wouldn't have even seen a horse, I thought it was too dangerous. It was also his idea to not take you to the corporation too often, since you don't like when people stare at you. He was dragging my ass halfway around the globe to give you good vacation time and not even once did he ask for something for himself. And he's still as devoted to you as much as any parent would've been, probably much more than I. He's still watches you play and comes back excited about how great you are and how proud he is." He suddenly pressed his lips. "I still don't like you playing basketball and the fact that you're losing, it's not how you should've been. But the only time I was trying to write your withdrawal, after last year failure, he threatened that if I do that he's going to leave the company and me. And that's... that's not something I can put in danger."

"Why not? He still got what he wanted, right? The company." He tried to sound angry, but somehow the somber and sincere man in front of him didn't make him feel the anger. It was making him realize more and more how he acted, how Kikune acted for all those years and really the little things were coming back to him.

"About this I must ask you something and depending on your answer I'll or will not change my mind." He leaned in and spoke in a low, serious tone. "Is that true that around your second class of middle school you had a break down?"

* * *

For Kouki, it was really hard to find the place Akashi told him about on his own. He'd only been in Kyoto a few times and each and every time he was either with someone who knew the town or he had a clear map in his hand.

This time, he had to ask strangers about the way and felt like a total idiot, but was doing this nonetheless.

It started three hours ago when he was laying in bed with a goofy smile on his face, remembering their lovemaking from the morning and the parting kiss, which almost turned into sex against the wall. His phone vibrated and the smile disappeared instantly when he saw the short message: '_I need you. Break Cafe 321a, Kyoto. Please, Kouki, it's important._' Jumping into fresh clothes he dialed Akashi and the boy only repeated what his message contained, but he sounded... sad, resigned. Like something bad happened and that made Furihata's blood run cold.

He thought at first that maybe Akashi really was going to stop seeing him, but he threw that away—not everything was about him and he just knew it had to be something else. But what, he had no idea. That's why after the first few minutes when no one could point him in the right direction, he gave up and took a taxi, even though this month's cash was getting short.

When he ran into the café—a place that looked all posh and well above his usual Maji Burger standards—a very sour-looking man walked up to him and looked him up and down with a scowl.

"Do you have reservation, sir?" His tone clearly indicated that he found it really hard to believe.

"I'm here to meet someone. Akashi-san, he should be here."

Suddenly, the man smiled, acting completely different.

"Yes, of course, Akashi-sama told us that he's waiting for a companion. Please, do follow me, sir, he's waiting for you at a private room."

Wherever he looked he saw suits and pretty dresses—he really was out of place and everyone was staring at him. He felt only slightly better when he finally saw Akashi and he was clothed just as casually as he, even if his clothes were clearly on a different level.

But soon he forgot about it when he saw the strange... blankness on his lover's face.

"Are you hungry, Kouki?"

"No. What..."

Akashi shot him a wary look and smiled at the waiter. With a forced, fake smile.

"Two jasmine tea's, please and red velvet cake."

"Of course, sir."

When the door closed after the waiter, Akashi sighed and covered his face in hands.

"Can we talk now?"

"What? Ah, yes. I just... don't want to talk about this with someone else around." He sighed once again and looked at Furihata with tired eyes. "Sorry to call you out of the blue."

Kouki shook his head.

"It's okay. If you need me..." He blushed, suddenly feeling shy, and coughed to clear his throat. "If you ever need me just call. After all, we're together, right?"

* * *

As depressed as Seijuuro was, at those words, he felt the warmth spread through his body like hot tea on a cold winter day. And he just had to smile—genuinely.

"Thank you. I... I just need to talk this out and there are things you need to know." His stomach flipped at the thought of Kouki deciding to leave him, but he gritted his teeth and moved on. "I met with my father today and we talked a bit, probably for the first time in my life it was like a true talk. He told me about my mother, that's first. Told me where she is."

"Are you going to see her?"

Well, that was a good question. His father gave him an address but also told him that it's not a pretty sight. Somehow the feeling that he was treating him like an intelligent, adult man was making him less willing to go there, but he supposed one day he would.

"Right now, no. She's..." Waiter tapped on the door, so he stopped talking. Only when he had tea in his—he realized with shock—shaking hands and the man walked away, did he start talking again. "She's mentally ill, a personality disorder."

Kouki's eyes opened wide and he was clearly speechless. For a moment, he made a true show of opening and closing his mouth and gesturing wildly, to finally give up.

"I... don't know what to say" he croaked out in the end, feeling clearly miserable.

"It's alright, I suppose I wouldn't know if I were you, too. Thing is..." He bit his lip and halted for a moment, his heart beating wildly. He didn't have to... The moment this thought ran through his mind, Seijuuro wanted to slap himself. Of course he had to know. He had the very right if they were as serious as he wanted them to be. "Things is, this type of illness is often hereditary and I... I often feel something dark and evil, sometimes I'm not in control of myself. Usually my psycho act is just that—an act—but not always."

The boy in front of him looked concerned for a while and then blinked twice and looked to the side, clearly sad. This was it? Seijuuro felt like his heart stopped and was right now only concentrated on hurting.

"Is that..." Kouki whispered in broken tone. "Is that your way of telling me off?"

"Don't be daft, of course not. I'm just giving you the truth about..."

"It's not a truth unless you really are sick, right?" The boy bit his lip. "Have you ever... you know, visited a doctor?"

Seijuuro shook his head.

"No, but I'm going to."

"Then until then, for me, nothing changed." Kouki smiled shyly and dig into the cake. "Oh my, that's tasty!"

Seijuuro smiled seeing the happiness on the boy's face. In this moment, he decided that if he was going to be sick and dangerous he'd get locked by himself or would run away. He didn't want to hurt Kouki and when his father told him about his mother's attempt at murdering him, all Akashi could see in the eyes of his imagination was himself killing a sleeping Furihata.

"He also made me remember something I tried to forget," he smiled gloomily and sighed. He rarely felt wrong and stupid but this time he had to admit he was trying to push all the things that were not fitting into his feelings over Kikune into forgetting. But sadly, he had perfect memory. "When I was in my second class of middle school, I kind of... Well, like every kid at that age, I had problems with myself and the world and ended blowing up. Since Kikune back then was still my friend, I vented it out to him and he took me seriously." He laughed and felt something inside him hurt. "How idiotic is it that he had done something as big as this just because of emotional teenager?"

Kouki was looking at him with confusion clearly written over the face, so Seijuuro started explaining, at the same time remembering the whole scene in his head.

* * *

It was a tiring day—he had to wake up really early, look into some documents his father wanted his opinion on, then at school he overheard some rumors about himself and that his family had close ties with a yakuza circle. Later on, everyone started avoiding him and even Shintarou wouldn't look at him (a few days later, it came out that this day Cancer's compatibility with Sagittarius was the lowest and Cancers were better off staying as far away as possible). At the company, everyone shot him dark looks because his opinion on the matter ended with two people being fired and his father was still unhappy with his slow pace. He was tired, sad, lonely and furious. The moment, he ran into his room he broke into a hysteric cry and Kikune walked in. Since then Seijuuro had to admit... it was his fault.

"Sei, what's wrong?" The tall, gorgeous man had run to his side and tried to look into his face. "Did someone hurt you? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I hate it!" he'd screamed angrily, looking into such a familiar, loving face. The gentle look he got was making him feel even less in control and he was sobbing out the words, choking on them, while his hands were trying to stop the tears. "I absolutely detest it, Airi! I hate being looked at like everything is my fault, of my father's demands and how stressed I am after every visit at the company, how everyone hates me! I don't... I don't want to do this," he sobbed out and twisted his fists into Kikune's shirt. Warm hands rubbed his shoulder.

"It's okay, Sei, it'll pass, you'll see. The beginnings are always the toughest but once you get a little older they'll start to respect you and..."

"BUT I HATE IT!" he screamed, tears running down his face, his voice breaking. "I never wanted to be an heir, the business world doesn't interest me, I love shogi and I'm good at it, I would love nothing more than to be able concentrate on that! But I have to do something I detest and my father... He won't let me leave." Panic and fear started creeping into his voice. "Oh gods... He won't ever let me leave, right?"

For a moment, he was just shivering in Kikune's arms, then the man pushed him back a little and looked into his face with gentle, but serious look.

"You truly don't want to work for the company?"

He nodded.

"I don't. I never wanted it."

"Then..." Kikune smiled sweetly, but with a touch of sadness. "Then I'll do anything that is possible to help you get out of this. I promise."

* * *

Kouki was feeling very, very bad. He didn't know what to say, how to comment, how to make Akashi feel better. His head was empty and all that was appearing in it were the lamest lines ever.

"He... really did everything that was possible." Akashi was looking so much in control, but his jaw muscles were contracting, his whole body tense. "And I hated him for it, I never thought he would take me seriously and I should've know better."

"He just loved you," said Kouki, not knowing if it was the right thing to say, especially when Akashi snorted.

"I suppose he did, still does in his own way. He... I forgot about this, you know? I thought that he was just a good actor and I completely forgot how unambitious he was, how he never wanted anything for himself."

"Well, you saw him with your father in such a position, it's nothing wrong that you thought like that," he mumbled, feeling the need to defend his actions. "You were just a kid, how were you supposed to know..."

"I should've, but that's not important, I just feel foolish. I'm whining, you could say."

That was a different Akashi than Kouki was used to seeing but this... vulnerable boy actually looked more like a grown-up man and he could only feel pride that he dealt with this in such a way—no denial, no justifying his actions, just the simple truth.

"I like that," he blurted out and winced when Akashi looked at him with slightly widened eyes. "I mean..."

"No, tell me. I'm interested in everything you may like."

He blushed and stuttered a few times before he actually spoke.

"I like that you can say you were in the wrong."

"Don't get excited," chuckled the boy, looking more like himself. "I'm not going to do anything. I still dislike Kikune, he could do it other way and... Ah, who am I trying to fool? I'm just too stubborn to go and apologize."

"You can take it easy..."

"And I will, believe me." Akashi reached for Kouki's hand and feeling quite shy he let him hold it. "What do you say—a little one on one? I feel like doing something to let it all out. I know a nice, secluded court around here."

"I don't have shoes, sorry" he smiled apologetically.

"It's okay, me neither. We can just play for fun." He moved his hand and reached for a cake. "Let's eat and go, okay?"

"Sure."

Sometime later, before they left the room, Kouki, feeling quite nervous, stepped closer to Akashi and kissed him lightly on the cheek and propped his head on boy's arm. Just to show him some support and apologize for how lame he was in making him feel better.

* * *

He never understood why people like Reo or Kotarou were saying that having someone for them was so good, but right now he understood that completely. Before Kouki came he didn't know what to do with himself. Both his own stupidity and everything he got to know was making him feel something he never felt before—ashamed and depressed at the same time.

His father told him much, much more than he told Kouki. Like the company really had problems because there was no support from Seijuuro for Kikune, so the man was seen as an impostor and even if he was making good decisions and under his supervision they were getting the best out of the branch, he still wasn't accepted and his actions were often undermined. If he were less of a business genius the company could suffer severe losses. He also told him that the house that was bought for him by his grandparents was still Seijuuro's though his father had tried a few times to punish him by taking this from him as well, but Kikune stepped in once again.

And, what made him feel the worst—something he couldn't say to Kouki because he felt so ashamed by it—was how in his own head and to Kikune's face, he'd often accused the man of using his father. Which he knew—really, deep down, knew was a lie.

"I fell in love with him the moment I saw him." His father was smiling lightly, right after Seijuuro asked how in the world he ended up with Kikune. He was way past fury and being wronged, after realizing he himself had _wanted_ to get out of being the heir. "What you should already understand, considering your relationship with that boy, is that gays are not well-liked in Japan. In my position, as the current CEO, being openly homosexual would be a catastrophe. I, my company, every employer—we all would've been ostracized and the lack of contracts would soon make us bankrupt. I don't think even our staff would easily find new jobs. Even knowing this, I fell in love with Airi. And I know for a fact that he loves me just as much."

Seijuuro blinked twice, trying to conceal his shock. Those were... pretty firm words. And they made him remember many things he'd tried to forget, to sully Kikune even more. Things he hated to remember, because they didn't suit the image of Kikune the Cheater well.

"In this world, the world of business, things like love or affection don't hold much meaning, but they do happen. In our case, it happened and was too strong. But we did fight it. He was still a teenager when I saw him, but already so beautiful and intelligent, and fiery when it came to things and people he wanted to protect. A steel wrapped carefully in a silk; that was my first impression of him. From the start I saw... well, I saw his interest in me but he was still underage, so I tried to distance myself. And so I started my parade of lovers, I tried very hard to find someone who could make me hold as much interest, but I failed each and every time. We avoided each other as much as possible, but we still had you in common. And to Airi, my lovers were torture, like he himself stated once. I think that I wanted to show him that I'm not interested, since even if I had some fantasies about him when he gets older, I never actually took under consideration your position in it. You were so enamored with Airi, saw him as an older brother or parental figure, I didn't dare jeopardize this. But with this I also failed. The night he came to me saying he wanted to take the company and let you play shogi professionally, after a long talk I took advantage of the situation and made one more demand. That he's going to belong to me. I can't say he put up much of a fight. Not long after we told each other... well, everything." He smiled cockily and shot an amused look at a quite disturbed Seijuuro. "Lately, Airi was saying that soon you'd understand that matters of the mind, will, and heart are quite different and I think he was right. That boy changed you. What's his name?"

"Furihata Kouki," he said and couldn't help the little smile that appeared on his face, remembering Kouki's arms around him and his shy smile.

"Good for you. I... won't press you into doing anything, but it would be nice if you helped Airi at the company." Then steel crept into his voice. "But you have to stop belittling him, I won't have it any other way."

"It'll take some time," he mumbled.

And that was also the truth. He realized that Kikune... _Airi_, wasn't in the wrong, but even thinking about the man made him extremely uncomfortable and still dizzy. It wasn't as ugly as before but still, his hate for the man ran too deep, he'd made himself hate him too much, to just get over it in a matter of...

"Seijuuro-kun?"

He stopped and felt Kouki also stop. The main topic of his thoughts was standing a few steps in front of him in casual clothes. Immediately, Akashi felt the fury and hate fill him, even more when he saw just how huge eyes Furihata was making at the man.

And the way he was blushing.

"What?" he snapped, completely forgetting all that happened earlier in the day.

Kikune flinched but smiled nonetheless.

"I'm just surprised to see you here. Do you... Maybe the two of you would like to drink a tea with me? I would very much like to properly know your friend." He bit his lip, looking to the side, making Kouki gulp and all the girls around stare at him while passing. "Did your father talk with you?"

"Yes and nothing changed," he spat, hauling Kouki by the arm and dashed forward, bumping into Kikune's arm on the way, ignoring the man's shocked and hurt face, that only stabbed him with a little guilt.

With an unclear mind, he was walking fast and soon found the nearest love hotel. He pushed a wide-eyed Furihata inside, paid for a room, and while inside threw the boy on the bed.

"I told you he's gorgeous, you didn't believe me," he growled, feeling something really ugly stir inside. Especially when he clearly saw the fear in his lover's eyes. "You would go with him, right? You would choose him over me. Do you like his type?"

* * *

Kouki was shivering both in fear and, well, excitement. Akashi was clearly jealous and that man—Kikune, he supposed—was his berserker button, apparently.

"I..." he croaked out and couldn't meet the standing boy's eyes, but what he saw around didn't help his growing arousal. Bottle of lotion on the nightstand, pack of condoms, some handcuffs... Nope, he shook his head and had to think clear. "I wouldn't."

"Really? Then why are you erect?" A strong hand cupped his cock and he gasped. "You're like everyone else, aren't you? Falling for his pretty face!"

He gulped and licked his lips. Akashi was so close, so intense... There was anger in him but not a threat.

"He's beautiful, I admit, but, Akashi-san, I... I like you and to me you're far prettier," he mumbled, trying to find the courage to say something that could end badly, but he wanted to believe that with Akashi he could say what he wanted and not be scared. He really wanted to believe in that. So he looked up in the gorgeous eyes and said in an uncertain tone. "I think you're overreacting. You... you need to calm down... please?"

The hand on his shaft grasped him a little tighter and that made his head spin. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Akashi's face was twisted like in pain. So he did the only thing that came to his mind. He hugged his lover and started whispering in a heated voice:

"I like you, only you. I'll only be with you, so you can rest."

"I hate him," he spat with venom, but Kouki felt strong arms almost crushing him in an embrace.

"I know. You..." He cleared his throat and tried once again. "_We_ can work on this later, take it easy."

There was a long silence in which they were just caressing each other and Kouki smiled when he felt Akashi relax, little by little the tension was disappearing. Suddenly, he spoke.

"I hate him and I feel bad about it, but the moment I see him it comes back. He was the person I looked up to _so much_."

"I know."

Another long pause.

"Don't you think that I'm stupid?"

Furihata vehemently shook his head.

"Of course not! Why would I think that?"

"Because I was supposed to be in such control of myself and my feelings and I act like a brat."

"He broke your trust, or so you thought. And years of hate won't come off that easily."

Or so he thought. He'd never hated anyone like that, never had to have go through something similar.

"I always knew he liked my father, I was just lying to myself to feel better," whispered Akashi in such a low tone that Kouki barely heard him. But he let him talk—didn't even know how to comment on that, so he only hugged him closer. "He never went anywhere with us if one of father's lovers wasn't also coming with us. Never. I suppose he didn't trust himself well enough. And when he was with us, he was so unhappy at times. But the first time I realized this was very early, I was nine or ten maybe. My father came to the library to look at my studies and Airi was standing behind him, looking at him with such sadness and longing it _hurt_. Later, I caught him looking like that my father so often, that it was a mystery how he was holding himself for so many years."

Another pause in which Kouki kissed Akashi's shoulder soothingly. He was probably lame at making him feel better.

"I... caught him crying once, you know? There was engagement party, since my father decided to marry, and through the whole evening Airi was staring into his plate, not even controlling what I was doing, all pale and barely holding himself together. Later I found him in library, crying so much, he didn't see me. He was hugging himself and looked so broken I felt bad myself. So that was the only time I walked up to my father and asked something from him—to break up with the girl, although I never told him the reason. I never saw Airi more confused than when my father told us there wouldn't be a wedding. And I never saw him so much at peace with the world than for the few weeks before I screamed to him that I know everything about him and my father." He sighed and sat straighter so he could prop his forehead on Kouki's. "Now go ahead and tell me how cruel and awful I am."

"I won't," he said immediately, closing his eyes and breathing heavily. "This was your judgment, your decision to hate him and it was in the past, right? You can't change it. Thing is... are you happy that he is happy?"

"I don't know," he said truthfully, in small voice. "I still hate him too much."

"Maybe..." He licked his lips, not sure if that was his place to...

"Just say what you want to say, Kouki. Don't hold yourself back on my account."

He smiled and said in a more sure voice:

"Maybe just ask him to dinner or tea, like he wanted it? Start talking about basketball or something, I dunno, something neutral. If he still loves you this much, and from what you say he treats you like his own child, then it should be easy for you to love him back again." Then he felt a little fear. "Unless... you see him as something more than a parental figure?"

Akashi actually laughed and suddenly Kouki found himself on his back, with the boy on top of him.

* * *

He didn't remember having anyone with such a calming effect on his nerves. Kouki didn't know what to say so he was quiet, only from time to time mumbling some soothing words, all the time embracing him and kissing lightly. Not much, but for Seijuuro it was everything.

And now the stupid boy was thinking that he's somehow losing him?

"No," he whispered, caressing his soft cheek slightly. He really liked Furihata's eyes—so big, so innocent, and so often confused. But they looked the best when they were half-lidded with arousal. Deciding that their one on one would be ruined nonetheless, he could at least see these brown eyes at their best. "Kik—_Airi_ was only a friend, maybe unconsciously a... a mother, I suppose. You, on the other hand..." he murmured, hitting the low, purring tones Kouki loved so much. His lover's eyelids fluttered, his breathing got heavy and his cock started getting hard once again. "You definitely are _not_ my mother."

And with those words, he made Kouki feel exactly as loved as he was, beginning with a scorching kiss full of passion, biting, and entwining of tongues.

* * *

**A/N:** _Aaaaand… fin!_

_I hope you all enjoyed the ride ^.^ To reply to often asked question – no, I do not plan to write another AkaFuri, I had enough problems to come with this one to try again xD It was fun, though._

_Thank you all for reading this and reviewing! It makes me really happy that despite me not being much into AkaFuri there are people who like this story! And I'm even more happy that my Ootsutani imput (OHMYGOD DID YOU SEE THAT MOMENT IN EP 30 WHEN THEY HAD A MOMENT FOR THEMSELVES STANDING SO CLOSE AND ALL?! Yeah, it makes this little to make me happy) was accepted! Personally I must also admit I also fell in love with Fukamachi/Kudoh and Akashi's father/Kikune pairs, dunno why xD  
_

_All in all – I had a great time writing this and I'm happy you like this!_

_And Saru-Pulver – I hope you're happy with the way I ended things. I'll be forever in your debt!_

_(btw Rinnesuke – yes, it happens often, I suppose there are many articles about it on internet, but I have, let's say, a first-hand experience when it comes to this ^.^)_


End file.
